Daily Report Tuesday, 28 April 2020 CONTENTS€¦ · Daily Report Tuesday, 28 April 2020 This report shows written answers and statements provided on 28 April 2020 and the information

Daily Report Tuesday, 28 April 2020

This report shows written answers and statements provided on 28 April 2020 and the

information is correct at the time of publication (08:53 P.M., 28 April 2020). For the latest

information on written questions and answers, ministerial corrections, and written statements,

please visit: http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers/

CONTENTS

ANSWERS 8

ATTORNEY GENERAL 8

Coronavirus Act 2020 8

Crown Prosecution Service:

Finance 8

Fraud: Coronavirus 8

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND

INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY 9

Business: Loans 9

Carbon Emissions 10

Ceramics: Coronavirus 11

Climate Change Convention:

Glasgow 11

Conditions of Employment:

Coronavirus 12

Coronavirus Business

Interruption Loan Scheme 12

Coronavirus Business

Interruption Loan Scheme:

Arts 15

Delivery Services: Coronavirus 15

Electricity and Natural Gas:

Coronavirus 16

Energy: Coronavirus 16

Home Energy and Lifestyle

Management: Green Deal

Scheme 17

Housing: Energy 17

Hydroelectric Power:

Coronavirus 18

Natural Gas: Inspections 18

Offshore Fixed Structures:

Decommissioning 19

Parental Pay 19

Retail, Hospitality and Leisure

Grant Fund 21

Service Industries and Utilities:

Coronavirus 21

Shell: North Sea 22

Supermarkets: Coronavirus 24

Travel Agents: Coronavirus 24

CABINET OFFICE 25

Constituencies 25

Freedom of Information:

Coronavirus 25

Veterans 25

DEFENCE 26

Army: Coronavirus 26

http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers

http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers

2 Tuesday, 28 April 2020 Daily Report

Scottish Government:

Coronavirus 26

VE Day: Anniversaries 27

DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND

SPORT 27

Digital Technology and

Internet 27

Internet: Safety 28

Newspaper Press:

Coronavirus 29

Seasonal Workers:

Coronavirus 30

Social Enterprises:

Coronavirus 30

Tourism: Coronavirus 31

EDUCATION 31

Assessments: Coronavirus 31

Childminding: Coronavirus 31

Children: Day Care 32

Education: Standards 33

Free School Meals:

Coronavirus 33

GCSE: Coronavirus 34

Nurseries: Coronavirus 35

Offences Against Children 35

Pre-school Education: Staff 36

Private Education:

Coronavirus 37

Qualifications: Coronavirus 37

Schools: Coronavirus 38

Students: Coronavirus 39

Supply Teachers: Coronavirus 39

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND

RURAL AFFAIRS 40

Agriculture: Coronavirus 40

Air Pollution: Pollution Control 42

Cats and Dogs: Meat 42

Dairy Farming: Coronavirus 43

Electronic Commerce:

Coronavirus 44

Fisheries: Coronavirus 45

Floods: West Lancashire 46

Fly-tipping: Coronavirus 46

Food: Coronavirus 47

Horticulture: Coronavirus 49

International Union for

Conservation of Nature and

Natural Resources 50

OSPAR Convention 50

Supermarkets: Coronavirus 50

Supermarkets: Electronic

Commerce 51

Waste Disposal: Coronavirus 52

Water Treatment: Sand 53

Zoos: Coronavirus 53

FOREIGN AND

COMMONWEALTH OFFICE 54

Afghanistan: Sikhs 54

Americas: Diplomatic Service 54

Armed Conflict: Sexual

Offences 55

Aviation: Coronavirus 56

British Nationals Abroad:

Coronavirus 56

Diplomatic Service:

Coronavirus 57

Embassies 57

Religious Freedom: Females 57

World Sikh Parliament 58

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE 58

Abortion 58

Tuesday, 28 April 2020 Daily Report 3

Care Homes: Coronavirus 59

Childbirth 60

Children: Coronavirus 60

Coronavirus Bill 2019-21:

Speech and Language

Disorders 60

Coronavirus: : Public Health 61

Coronavirus: Alcoholic Drinks 61

Coronavirus: Birth Rate 62

Coronavirus: British Nationals

Abroad 62

Coronavirus: Carers 63

Coronavirus: Disease Control 63

Coronavirus: Ethnic Groups 66

Coronavirus: Hospital Beds 66

Coronavirus: Liverpool 66

Coronavirus: Medical

Equipment 67

Coronavirus: Mental Health

Services 67

Coronavirus: Pharmacy 68

Coronavirus: Protective

Clothing 69

Coronavirus: Religion 69

Coronavirus: Screening 70

Coronavirus: Sickle Cell

Diseases 70

Coronavirus: Social Services 71

Coronavirus: Speech and

Language Disorders 71

Coronavirus: Surveys 72

Coronavirus: Testing 72

Coronavirus: Vaccination 73

Coronavirus: Young People 73

Health Services: Coronavirus 74

Health Services: Pregnancy 74

Health Services: Protective

Clothing 75

Hospital Beds: Private Sector 75

Hospitals: Parking 76

Hygiene: Public Places 76

Medical Equipment: Imports 77

Motor Neurone Disease:

Coronavirus 78

NHS: Contracts 79

NHS: Disclosure of Information 79

NHS: Equality 80

NHS: Protective Clothing 80

Postnatal Care 80

Protective Clothing 81

Protective Clothing: Cumbria 81

Protective Clothing:

Manufacturing Industries 82

Psychiatry: Coronavirus 82

Psychology: Training 83

Social Services: Disability 83

Travel Restrictions:

Coronavirus 84

HOME OFFICE 84

Asylum: Applications 84

Bail 85

Detention Centres: Hygiene 85

Domestic Abuse: Victim

Support Schemes 85

Drugs: Misuse 86

Foreign Nationals:

Coronavirus 86

General Register Office:

Marriage Certificates 87

Hate Crime: China 87


Immigrants: Detainees 87

Immigration: Coronavirus 88

Migrant Workers: Visas 88

Offences against Children:

Internet 89

Visas: Foreign Nationals 89

Visas: India 90

Visas: Married People 90

Voluntary Work: Coronavirus 90

HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND

LOCAL GOVERNMENT 91

[Subject Heading to be

Assigned] 91

Business Improvement

Districts: Coronavirus 92

Business: Coronavirus 93

Charities: Coronavirus 94

Council Tax: Coronavirus 95

District Councils: Finance 95

District Councils: Non-

domestic Rates 96

Evictions: Coronavirus 96

Foreign Nationals:

Homelessness 97

Freehold: Service Charges 97

Homelessness: Coronavirus 97

Landlords: Coronavirus 98

Local Government Services:

Coronavirus 98

Manufacturing Industries:

Planning Permission 99

Planning Permission:

Coronavirus 99

Private Rented Housing:

Reform 100

Private Rented Housing:

Students 101

Public Health Funerals:

Coronavirus 101

Rents: Students 102

Retail Trade: Coronavirus 102

Travellers: Coronavirus 103

Trees 104

INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT 104

Africa: Coronavirus 104

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance:

Finance 105

Trade: Coronavirus 105

Yemen: Overseas Aid 105

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 106

Department for International

Trade: Official Hospitality 106

Import Duties: Public

Consultation 107

JUSTICE 107

Assaults on Police:

Coronavirus 107

Coroners: Reviews 107

Courts: Coronavirus 108

Crimes of Violence:

Coronavirus 109

Fraud: Coronavirus 109

Hong Kong Court of Final

Appeal 110

Prison Accommodation 110

Prison Visitors: Coronavirus 111

Prisoners' Release:

Coronavirus 111

Prisoners: Coronavirus 112

Prisons: Crime 112


Probation: Coronavirus 112

Social Security Benefits:

Coronavirus 113

SCOTLAND 114

Coronavirus: Scotland 114

TRANSPORT 114

Airlines: Coronavirus 114

Airports and Ports:

Coronavirus 115


Aviation: Iran 116

British Airways: Coronavirus 116

Driving Tests: Coronavirus 117

Ferries: Coronavirus 118

Heathrow Airport: Air Traffic 118

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers:

Coronavirus 119

Large Goods Vehicles:

Coronavirus 120

Motor Vehicles: Testing 120

Shipping: Coronavirus Job

Retention Scheme 121

Transport: Coronavirus 121

Travel: Coronavirus 122

TREASURY 123


Business: Costs 124

Business: Loans 125

Care Homes: Coronavirus 125

Carers: Protective Clothing 126

Cash Dispensing 126

Cash Dispensing: Fees and

Charges 127

Child Benefit 127

Conditions of Employment:

Coronavirus 128

Coronavirus Job Retention

Scheme 128

Coronavirus Job Retention

Scheme: Day Care 131

Council Tax: Small Businesses 132

Covid-19 Corporate Financing

Facility 132

Credit Unions: Coronavirus 133

Dental Services: Government

Assistance 133

Digital Technology: Skilled

Workers 134

Dismissal: Coronavirus 134

Employee Ownership 135

Farmers: Universal Credit 135

Government Securities:

Coronavirus 135

Investment Income 136

Loans 136

Monetary Policy 137

Mortgages: Coronavirus 137

Non-domestic Rates 138

Non-domestic Rates:

Coronavirus 139

Orchestras: Coronavirus 140

PAYE 140

Personal Income 140

Public Finance: Coronavirus 141

Radio: Local Broadcasting 141

Retail, Hospitality and Leisure

Grant Fund 142

Revenue and Customs: Staff 144

Roads: Freight 144

Self-employed: Coronavirus 144


Self-employed: Government

Assistance 145

Self-employment Income

Support Scheme 145


Support Scheme: Entertainers 147


Support Scheme: Holiday

Accommodation 148

Small Business Grants Fund 148

Small Businesses:

Coronavirus 150

WORK AND PENSIONS 151

Burial: Costs 151

Employment and Support

Allowance: Coronavirus 151

Social Security Benefits 152

Social Security Benefits:

Coronavirus 153

State Retirement Pensions:

Females 153

Statutory Sick Pay:

Coronavirus 154

Universal Credit 154

Universal Credit: Complaints 156

Universal Credit: Coronavirus 157

Universal Credit: EU Nationals 157

Universal Credit: Stoke On

Trent 158

WRITTEN STATEMENTS 159

CABINET OFFICE 159

Negotiations on the UK's

future relationship with the EU:

update 159

EDUCATION 160

Launch of The Skills Toolkit 160

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE 161

Delay in the Government's

Response to the Paterson

Inquiry 161

The Health Protection

(Coronavirus, Restrictions)

(England) Regulations

(Amendments) 2020 162

HOME OFFICE 162

Council Decision on the

opening of negotiations for an

Agreement between the

European Union and Japan for

the transfer and use of

Passenger Name Record

(PNR) data to prevent and

combat terrorism and other

serious transnational crime 162

Council Decision on the

position to be taken on behalf

of the European Union in the

Council of the International

Civil Aviation Organization, in

respect of the revision of

Chapter 9 of Annex 9

(‘Facilitation’) to the

Convention on International

Civil Aviation with regard to

standards and recommended

practices on passenger name

record data 163

Terrorism Prevention and

Investigation Measures (1

December 2019 to 29

February 2020) 163

JUSTICE 164

Final response to The

Sentencing Code Volume I:

Report (Law Com No. 382) 164


TREASURY 165

Update on tax policy

documents 165

Notes:

Questions marked thus [R] indicate that a relevant interest has been declared.

Questions with identification numbers of 900000 or greater indicate that the question was originally tabled as an

oral question and has since been unstarred.

8 Daily Report Tuesday, 28 April 2020 ANSWERS

ANSWERS

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Coronavirus Act 2020

Alex Cunningham: [901907]

What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the use of the powers

contained in the Coronavirus Act 2020.

Michael Ellis:

I regularly meet ministerial colleagues to discuss important issues, including the

Covid-19 outbreak. I am unable to talk about any legal content of those discussions

because whether or not the Law Officers have given advice, by convention, is not

disclosed outside Government.

Crown Prosecution Service: Finance

Richard Graham: [901905]

What plans she has for the allocation of the additional £85 million to the CPS.

Michael Ellis:

The Government is investing across the justice system.The additional £85 million to

the CPS will enable the CPS to respond effectively to any increase in caseload

resulting from the recruitment of 20,000 new police officers; to better meet their

disclosure obligations; to work with investigators to pursue all reasonable lines of

inquiry; and to deliver much needed changes to external counsel fees. Investing in

the CPS to meet these pressures demonstrates that this Government is commitment

to ensuring that justice is served.

Fraud: Coronavirus

Dr Luke Evans: [38035]

To ask the Attorney General, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the CPS

has adequate enforcement powers to tackle fraudulent activity linked to the covid-19

outbreak.

Suella Braverman:

CPS prosecutors are continuing to ensure that justice is delivered during the Covid-

19 outbreak. The CPS and National Police Chief Counsel have pushing joint charging

protocol for responding to the current situation, under this protocol all Covid related

offence, including Covid related fraud will be prioritised for an immediate charging

decision. This decision will be made by the CPS applying Code for Crown

Prosecutors to determine whether there is enough evidence to charge and if it is in

the public interest to bring a case to court.

The CPS have already authorised charges following reports that a man had been

selling fake treatment kits. The CPS continues to work alongside government and law

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2020-04-28/901907



Daily Report Tuesday, 28 April 2020 ANSWERS 9

enforcement to provide a multi-agency response to combat this criminal activity and

protect the public.

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY

Business: Loans

Kevin Brennan: [38031]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he

is taking to ensure that business sectors which have been unable to access Government-

backed finance in the past are able to access the Coronavirus Business Interruption

Loans Scheme and other Government-backed loan schemes.

Paul Scully:

The Government has responded to helpful feedback to ensure that companies feel

the full benefits of available support.

The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) is open to eligible

businesses operating in most sectors. Unlike Enterprise Finance Guarantee, road

haulage, fishery, aquaculture and agriculture businesses can access facilities up to

the maximum of £5m available. Fishery, aquaculture and agriculture businesses may

not qualify for the full interest and lender-levied fee payment paid by government.

The Government has:

• Extended the scheme so that all viable small businesses affected by Covid-19, and

not just those unable to secure regular commercial financing, are now eligible if the

lender believes they need finance to see them through these unprecedented times.

• Removed the requirement that the relevant applicant not be a business, employer,

professional, religious or political membership organisation or a trade union in

order to be eligible for CBILS.

• Announced the launch of the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan

Scheme to support all larger viable businesses with an annual turnover of £45

million and above.

Dr Julian Lewis: [38410]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make

it his policy that (a) businesses that have become profitable after recent restructuring

should not be precluded from being granted emergency business loans on the basis of

unprofitable trading figures prior to their restructuring and (b) those businesses should be

assessed on their recent profitability on the same basis as start-up businesses of a

similar size.

Paul Scully:

[Holding answer 27 April 2020]: The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan

Scheme (CBILS) provides support to small businesses which were viable before the




Covid-19 outbreak but are experiencing temporary adverse impacts due to

Coronavirus.

In order for a business to be eligible for the CBILs, it must be considered “viable” by

the lender. The lender must consider that the applicant (or its business group) has a

viable business proposition determined by the lender’s underwriting policies. Any

concerns over its short-to-medium term business performance due to the uncertainty

and impact of COVID-19 cannot be taken into account. The applicant must still satisfy

the other eligibility criteria of the CBILS.

For smaller value facilities (e.g. those of £30,000 or below) in determining the

eligibility of the applicant, lenders may decide to determine the applicant’s credit

worthiness based on its internal credit scoring models.

Corresponding changes have been made to the eligibility criterion which previously

required the applicant (or its business group) to have a business proposition that can

reasonably be expected to enable it to meet its repayment obligations under a

proposed facility.

The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme cannot be used where an

applicant was an “undertaking in difficulty” (UID) as at 31 December 2019. UID is

defined to include businesses that have accumulated losses greater than half of their

subscribed share capital as at 31 December 2019. In practice this means certain fast

growth businesses may not be eligible for the CBILS (unless the business is less than

three years old).

The requirement for an UID assessment is a requirement under the European

Commission’s Temporary State Aid measures and a direct result of State Aid

clearance. The need for UID checks to be carried out for CBILS facilities below £30k

has already been removed by the British Business Bank on the basis that loans of

this size are considered to involve a de minimis amount of State Aid. For facilities

above £30k, lenders are required to gain comfort that an SME is not an UID, but this

includes the option for lenders to rely on self-certification for facilities of any size (i.e.

up to £5m).

Carbon Emissions

Dr Matthew Offord: [38544]


an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a national office for carbon removal.

Kwasi Kwarteng:

There is no doubt that climate change is one of the greatest global challenges we

face, and that action is urgently needed in the UK and across the world. The UK

already has a world-leading framework for emissions reduction.

The Climate Change Act 2008 was the first of its kind in the world and made the UK

the first country to introduce a legally binding, long-term emissions reduction target.

The Act introduced our innovative framework of carbon budgets to ensure continued



progress towards that target, capping emissions in successive five-year blocks. It

also established the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) which independently

provides expert advice to the Government on climate change mitigation and

adaptation.

In June 2019, the UK became the first major economy to legislate for net zero - a

100% emissions reduction target by 2050 (relative to 1990 levels). The Prime

Minister chairs a new Cabinet Committee on Climate Change to oversee this effort

and drive forward action across the whole of government.

Through this strong legal framework and ambitious policy action, we have shown that

cutting emissions and growing the economy can go hand-in-hand – reducing our

emissions by over 40% since 1990 while growing the economy by three quarters. Our

carbon budgeting, supported by independent expertise from the CCC, is widely

accepted as global best-practice and provides the right framework for the UK to

deliver our commitment to net zero.

Ceramics: Coronavirus

Jonathan Gullis: [37902]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his

Department is taking to support the ceramics industry during the covid-10 outbreak.

Nadhim Zahawi:

The Government has taken unprecedented action to support businesses, including

those within the ceramics sector, during the outbreak of COVID-19. This includes

changes to Statutory Sick Pay, the opportunity to defer VAT and/or income tax for 3

months, as well as regulatory easements to help businesses manage the impact of

the virus.

In addition, the Job Retention Scheme offers a Government grant to enable

companies to furlough their staff from 1 March 2020 and will run until the end of June

2020..

The Coronovirus Business Interruption Loan Schemes for businesses of all sizes,

alongside the Covid Corporate Financing Facility, also provides businesses with the

opportunity to access Government-backed financing.

These measures are providing unprecedented support to businesses across the

country, and the Department is in daily contact with the ceramics sector to offer

further advice and support.

Climate Change Convention: Glasgow

John Lamont: [38505]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans

the Government has to rearrange COP 26 in Glasgow.




Kwasi Kwarteng:

Dates for a rescheduled conference in 2021, hosted in Glasgow by the UK in

partnership with Italy, will be set out in due course following further discussion with

parties.

Conditions of Employment: Coronavirus

Stephen Kinnock: [38033]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he

has to provide workplace protections for workers that are required by their employer to go

to work during the covid-19 outbreak while living with a vulnerable person in their

household.

Paul Scully:

[Holding answer 27 April 2020]: The Government has introduced important social

distancing measures for all types of businesses to consider in order to minimise the

risk of transmission in the workplace. The Government has been clear that it is vital

that all employers follow this guidance, which is clinically led and based on expert

advice.

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

Theresa Villiers: [37514]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will

suspend state aid rules for the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme so that

loss-making companies can be considered eligible for that scheme.

Paul Scully:

Although the UK has left the EU, under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, the

EU State Aid rules continue to apply in the UK until the end of the Transition Period.

It is not possible for the UK (or indeed any EU Member State) to unilaterally suspend

the EU State aid rules.

However, it should be noted that the European Commission has introduced some

flexibilities into the rules to deal with the impacts of the Coronavirus, in the form of a

Temporary Framework.

The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) is a State Aid

approved scheme under the Temporary Framework. Companies that are in difficulty

are eligible for support, in recognition of the impact of Coronavirus, unless they were

in difficulty on 31 December 2019, prior to the outbreak.

CBILS does include a provision enabling banks to make the facility available on a de

minimis basis to businesses that would not otherwise be eligible, for example

because they were in difficulty as at 31 December 2019.

However, the British Business Bank is establishing a new Future Fund to support the

UK’s innovative businesses currently affected by Covid-19. This will launch in May

and is intended to help businesses that have been unable to access other




government business support programmes, such as CBILS, because they are either

pre-revenue or pre-profit and typically rely on equity investment. The £500m scheme

will deliver an initial commitment of £250m of new government funding which will be

match funded by private investment.


To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will ask

the European Commission to exempt the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan

Scheme from EU state aid rules.

Paul Scully:

Although the UK has left the EU, under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, the

EU State Aid rules continue to apply in the UK until the end of the Transition Period.

Although the European Commission declined to suspend the State aid rules because

of the Coronavirus pandemic, the Commission introduced flexibilities into the rules to

deal with the impacts of the Coronavirus, in the form of a Temporary Framework. This

facilitates aid going to the companies who need it most, quickly and with more

efficiently.

The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme was approved by the

Commission (on 25th March) under this Temporary Framework. No exemption from

the State Aid rules is required.

Since the launch of the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the

Government has received a lot of helpful feedback on how the scheme has been

working. We have been working with the financial services sector to ensure that

companies feel the full benefits from this support. The Government will continue to

seek to identify new areas for improvement across the scheme as a whole.

Tim Farron: [37553]


plans to take to extend the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme to

businesses that have no rateable property but have been adversely affected by the covid-

19 outbreak.

Paul Scully:

Whether or not a business is liable for Business Rates, or occupies business

premises, is not a consideration under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan

Scheme (CBILS).

To be eligible for a facility under CBILS, a smaller business must:

• Be UK based in its business activity, with turnover of no more than £45m per year.

• Have a borrowing proposal which, were it not for the current pandemic, would be

considered viable by the lender

• Self-certify that it has been adversely impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19).




Henry Smith: [37587]


is taking to ensure firms can access the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

Paul Scully:

The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) opened for

applications on 23 March. The Government has been working closely with the British

Business Bank and financial sector to ensure businesses can access the support

they need. We have made changes to widen the scheme’s eligibility so that more

small businesses across the UK can benefit from the scheme, by extending loans to

all viable small businesses affected by the Coronavirus, not just those unable to

secure regular commercial financing. For facilities under £250,000, use of personal

guarantees are not permitted under the scheme.

Dan Jarvis: [37661]


Department is taking to ensure that banks taking part in the Coronavirus Business

Interruption Loan Scheme do not require a personal guarantee from business directors to

secure loans of less than £250,000.

Paul Scully:

[Holding answer 27 April 2020]: Under the British Business Bank’s scheme rules,

Personal Guarantees of any form cannot be requested to support a Coronavirus

Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) facility below £250,000. This has been

made clear in the guidance provided to all the CBILS accredited lenders.

Daniel Zeichner: [37712]


it his policy to amend the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme to remove the

requirement for the lender to ask for personal guarantees.

Paul Scully:

Under the British Business Bank’s scheme rules, Personal Guarantees of any form

cannot be requested to support a Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

(CBILS) facility below £250,000. This has been made clear in the guidance provided

to all the CBILS accredited lenders.

Personal guarantees for facilities above £250,000 may still be required, at a lender’s

discretion, but they exclude the Principal Private Residence (PPR) which cannot be

used for a Personal Guarantee. Recoveries under these loans are capped at a

maximum of 20% of the outstanding balance of the CBILS facility after the proceeds

of business assets have been applied.

These terms were updated on 3 April 2020. The British Business Bank has

communicated that the changes should be retrospectively applied by lenders for any

CBILS facilities offered since 23 March 2020.





Jonathan Edwards: [38468]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what

discussions his Department has had with banks operating the Coronavirus Business

Interruption Loan Scheme on the interest rates for those loans.

Paul Scully:

[Holding answer 27 April 2020]: Interest rates charged under the Coronavirus

Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) are set at the discretion of each lender.

However, under the terms of the State Aid agreement, the Government fully expects

that the benefit of the guarantee under the CBILS is reflected in the interest that is

charged on the CBILS facility, both during the period of the Business Interruption

Payment and thereafter for the remainder of the facility.

The Government held discussions with the banking industry prior to the launch of

CBILS. The Business Secretary has had calls with UK senior executives at Natwest,

Barclays, Aldermore, Lloyds, HSBC and Santander and will continue to hold a regular

dialogue with each of the biggest CBILS lenders to address feedback on how the

scheme has been working and closely monitor its implementation to ensure that

companies feel the full benefits of this support.

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme: Arts


To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many

businesses in the (a) creative and (b) music sectors have received support under the

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans Scheme to date.

Paul Scully:

As of 21 April, over £2.8bn worth of loans have been issued under the Coronavirus

Business Interruption Loan Scheme, to over 16,600 businesses. At this time we

cannot provide a breakdown of funding by sector, as we have given lenders a

temporary dispensation from uploading their data to the British Business Bank’s

system in order to let them focus on issuing new loans. This is a pragmatic step that

reflects the urgency of getting loans issued. We are working with the British Business

Bank, HM Treasury and lenders on regular and transparent data publication going

forward.

Delivery Services: Coronavirus

Alexander Stafford: [37750]


Department is taking to ensure compliance with the guidance published by the

Government and Public Health England on social distancing and safe hygiene practices

at warehouses and fulfilment sites for online retailers.

Paul Scully:

Everyone must comply with the rules issued by the Government in relation to

coronavirus, in order to protect both themselves and others.





We have published guidance for employers and businesses to assist them in the safe

operation of their business:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-

about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19

Where the Health and Safety Executive are made aware of an employer not

complying with the relevant Public Health England guidance (including enabling

social distancing where it is practical to do so), HSE will consider a range of action,

from providing specific advice to employers through to issuing enforcement notices.

Electricity and Natural Gas: Coronavirus

Angela Crawley: [37761]


is taking to safeguard supplies of (a) gas and (b) electricity during the covid-19 outbreak.

Kwasi Kwarteng:

Great Britain has a reliable energy system and maintaining a safe and secure energy

supply is a key priority for this Government.

Since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, we have been in daily contact with gas and

electricity operators, the National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO), National

Grid Gas (NGG), and Ofgem, to ensure our electricity and gas supplies are secure.

We have received assurance from all critical gas and electricity operators that they

have contingency plans in place to mitigate the impacts of Covid-19; and we are

closely monitoring staff absenteeism levels, as well as the supply of key commodities.

Currently, electricity and gas margins are adequate and there is sufficient supply to

meet demand. The implementation of the Government policies to delay the spread of

Covid-19 is resulting in a measurable reduction in the national demand for electricity

and gas.

We are confident that electricity and gas supplies will keep flowing.

Energy: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent

assessment his Department has been made of the performance of the energy system in

meeting changes in demand due to the covid-19 outbreak.

Kwasi Kwarteng:

Great Britain has a reliable energy system and maintaining a safe and secure energy

supply is a key priority for this Government.

Since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, we have been in daily contact with gas and

electricity operators, the National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO), National

Grid Gas (NGG), and Ofgem, to ensure our energy system is able to respond to

changes in demand during this unprecedented time.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19






The ESO and NGG have procedures in place to manage the effects of a pandemic

and are closely monitoring electricity and gas demand over this period. Currently,

electricity and gas margins are adequate and there is sufficient supply to meet

demand.

The implementation of the Government policies to delay the spread of Covid-19 is

resulting in a measurable reduction in the national demand for energy. The ESO

recently published its Summer Outlook report to help energy companies with their

planning, as well as set out the procedures it has in place to manage the anticipated

effects on supply and demand during the pandemic.

We are confident that electricity and gas supplies will keep flowing.

Home Energy and Lifestyle Management: Green Deal Scheme

Alan Brown: [37800]


Green Deal plans were provided by Home Energy and Lifestyle Management Ltd for the

purpose of installing solar panels in each constituency in the UK.

Kwasi Kwarteng:

The number of Green Deal plans provided by Home Energy & Lifestyle Management

Ltd which include the installation of solar panels in each constituency in the UK are

shown in the attached table.

In order to manage the risk of revealing personal or commercial data, our approach is

not to release non-zero counts of less than five for a small geographic area.

Attachments:

1. HELM Ltd Green Deal plans including solar panels [PQ 37800 Home Energy and

Lifestyle Management Ltd Green Deal plans including solar panels.xlsx]

Housing: Energy

Sir David Amess: [37369]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to

the Answer of 23 March 2020 to Question No 28671 on Housing: Energy, if he will

publish those impact assessments in which the benefits to householders’ health from

improving their homes thermal performance have been included.

Kwasi Kwarteng:

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy does include the health

benefits of energy improvements to the householders’ health in published Impact

Assessments, although the methodology has not yet been incorporated into the net

present value calculation. Two of the latest are the most recent impact assessments

for ECO and Private Sector Regulations (see below):

Page 29

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm

ent_data/file/749638/ECO_3_Final_Stage_IA__Final.pdf



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Page 16


ent_data/file/760313/IA_-

_Energy_Efficiency__Private_Rented_Property___England.pdf

Sir David Amess: [37370]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to

the Answer of 23 March 2020 to Question 28671 on Housing: Energy, who is undertaking

the study to quantify the cost savings to the health service of improving the energy

efficiency of homes; and when that study will be published.

Kwasi Kwarteng:

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is the lead

organisation undertaking the study to quantify the cost savings to the health service

of improving the energy efficiency of homes. BEIS is in the process of applying for

access to NHS Digital hospital records and, if this application is approved and

relevant data provided to BEIS, analysis will be undertaken, peer reviewed and

published.

Hydroelectric Power: Coronavirus

Daisy Cooper: [38023]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will

extend the deadline in the Feed-in Tariffs (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Order 2020 for

commissioning new hydropower generating stations by an additional six months to reflect

the seasonal nature of their construction.

Kwasi Kwarteng:

The recent Feed-in Tariffs (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Order 2020 gives developers

of a range of small-scale renewable energy projects an extra six months to complete

the accreditation process to benefit from the Feed-in Tariffs scheme, reducing the

impact of the Coronavirus on developers and community groups that have invested in

low-carbon energy, but who could have been unable complete their construction and

commissioning before the final deadline.

This emergency legislation was focussed on the projects most immediately affected

by the Coronavirus, with deadlines between March and September 2020. The

government is keeping the situation under review, including in relation to projects with

deadlines beyond 30 September 2020.

Natural Gas: Inspections

Catherine West: [37874]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he

plans to require that utility companies pause non-urgent gas inspections during the covid-

19 outbreak.

https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fuploads%2Fsystem%2Fuploads%2Fattachment_data%2Ffile%2F760313%2FIA_-_Energy_Efficiency__Private_Rented_Property___England.pdf&data=02%7C01%7CHouseholdenergyefficiencycomms%40beis.gov.uk%7Ce28ce16c5e4a4034d0e208d7e5f77a71%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C637230723378028751&sdata=fZ2kefcB077GXpp3xkYFGMXstG1LYfpl35qGhyFDnHc%3D&reserved=0








Kwasi Kwarteng:

Under Gas Supplier Licence Condition 29 (SLC29) Gas Suppliers are required on

request to carry out free annual gas safety checks to certain vulnerable domestic

customers living in non-rented premises.

In the current circumstances, Ofgem does not consider it is necessary for it to relax

Condition 29 because gas suppliers undertake their free annual gas safety checks

only on request by and with the permission of the customer.

This position is held under the current circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic

provided that relevant parties follow the Government guidance, public health advice

and safety legislation more generally. Ofgem’s Chief Executive Jonathan Brearley

wrote to the energy supply companies on 8 April 2020 setting out the expectations of

them during the COVID-19 outbreak and reminding them of their primary need to

follow this guidance, public health advice and safety legislation.

Offshore Fixed Structures: Decommissioning



assessment his Department made of the adequacy of funding for decommissioning of

redundant offshore oil drilling platform bases in line with the Energy Act 2008.



Department has taken to help ensure there are adequate funding arrangements for the

decommissioning of redundant offshore oil drilling platform bases constructed before the

introduction of the Energy Act 2008.

Kwasi Kwarteng:

BEIS officials in the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and

Decommissioning (OPRED) continually consider the adequacy of companies to fund

decommissioning and where any risk is identified my officials undertake work to

mitigate these risks and where necessary have taken security in the form of letters of

credit and entered into Decommissioning security agreements with companies.

Liability for decommissioning is joint and several and all companies who have had a

beneficial interest in a licence both past and present are liable.

BEIS officials in OPRED also have a detailed understanding of the Decommissioning

security that is in place in the form of commercial Decommissioning security

agreements for all fields in the UKCS.

Parental Pay

Stephen Timms: [37390]


people started receiving (a) statutory paternity pay and (b) shared parental pay in each

quarter since April 2015.





Paul Scully:

[Holding answer 27 April 2020]: The Government is committed to supporting working

parents. In 2015, we introduced Shared Parental Leave and Pay which gives eligible

parents much more flexibility and choice in how they share care for their new child

between them in the first year. The scheme is in addition to the Government’s 2-week

Paternity Leave and Pay policy and gives fathers and partners access to up to 50

weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay.

Take-up of Shared Parental Leave and Pay has been broadly in line with our initial

estimates, which anticipated that a cultural change like this would take time to bed-in.

Table 1 below shows the number of individuals in receipt of Statutory Paternity Pay

and Statutory Shared Parental Pay based on the month that the claim was first made.

Table 1: Individuals in receipt of Statutory Paternity Pay and Statutory Shared

Parental Pay based on the month that the claim was first made by quarter,

2015/16 to 2019/20

STATUTORY PATERNITY PAY

(MONTH FIRST CLAIMED)

STATUTORY SHARED PARENTAL

PAY (MONTH FIRST CLAIMED)

Q1 15/16 51,900 1,200

Q2 15/16 55,000 1,400

Q3 15/16 52,200 1,500

Q4 15/16 54,200 1,900

Q1 16/17 55,100 2,000

Q2 16/17 56,200 2,000

Q3 16/17 52,900 1,700

Q4 16/17 54,000 2,000

Q1 17/18 51,400 2,100

Q2 17/18 55,500 2,200

Q3 17/18 52,600 1,900

Q4 17/18 51,200 1,900

Q1 18/19 48,300 2,300

Q2 18/19 50,300 2,600

Q3 18/19 47,600 2,200

Q4 18/19 54,000 2,400


STATUTORY PATERNITY PAY

(MONTH FIRST CLAIMED)

STATUTORY SHARED PARENTAL

PAY (MONTH FIRST CLAIMED)

Q1 19/20 50,800 2,900

Q2 19/20 53,100 3,500

Q3 19/20 50,400 2,400

1. Data collected uses HMRC Real Time Information (RTI) and was extracted in

March 2020. RTI is subject to revision or updates.

2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred.

3. For the 2015-16 tax year, those receiving Additional Statutory Paternity Pay (ASPP)

for children born before 6 April 2015 cannot be distinguished from those claiming

ShPP within RTI data.

Data based on the month first claimed means that an individual who first claims

statutory payment in a given month (i.e. had not claimed it in the previous month) and

continues receiving statutory pay for multiple months would only be counted in the

first month.

Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund

Dr Kieran Mullan: [38021]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the

Government plans to extend the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund to cover

businesses that predominantly supply services to the retail, hospitality and leisure sector.

Paul Scully:

Businesses are eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund if they are

based in England with a property that has a rateable value of up to £51,000 and is

wholly or mainly being used for the purposes of retail, hospitality and/or leisure. The

Government is also providing an unprecedented package of wider support to

businesses across the economy in response to the current coronavirus outbreak.

Service Industries and Utilities: Coronavirus

Dr Dan Poulter: [38467]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he

has to provide support to the hospitality industry during the covid-19 outbreak.

Paul Scully:

The Government has introduced a number of measures which are available to

businesses in the hospitality sector to provide support during the current COVID-19

outbreak. These include the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants and Business

Rates Holiday schemes, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, as well

as the Job Retention and Self-Employed Income Support schemes. The full details




on all of the measures available to these businesses have been published at:

https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/. The Government

is also continuing to keep these measures under review.

Shell: North Sea


To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his

timetable is for deciding whether to give Shell permission for its proposed plans for the (a)

steel jackets and (b) concrete bases underneath decommissioned Brent oilfield platforms

(i) Bravo, (ii) Charlie and (iii) Delta east of Shetland.

Kwasi Kwarteng:

As part of the Brent decommissioning proposal, Shell propose to leave in-situ the

footings of the Brent Alpha steel jacket and the concrete gravity based installations

Brent Bravo, Brent Charlie and Brent Delta.

A formal decision is expected to be made in due course.

Any approval of the derogation permit to leave in-situthe footings of the Brent Alpha

steel jacket and the concrete gravity based installations Brent Bravo, Brent Charlie

and Brent Delta will include permit conditions to continue to develop technology for

the management of the structures (including in-situremediation for the contents of the

structures). Shell and the Brent field licensees will remain responsible and liable in

perpetuity for any structures left in-situ.



Environmental Impact Assessment his Department has made of Shell's proposed plans

for the (a) steel jackets and (b) concrete bases underneath decommissioned Brent oilfield

platforms (i) Bravo, (ii) Charlie and (iii) Delta east of Shetland.

Kwasi Kwarteng:

BEIS officials at the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and

Decommissioning (OPRED) who are responsible for ensuring that all

decommissioning in the UK Continental Shelf is carried out in line with current UK

regulations and international obligations have considered the Brent decommissioning

proposals and reviewed the associated environmental impact assessment including

supporting technical documents. The review also took account of the technical,

safety, societal and economic aspects and determined that the environmental impact

assessment presented by Shell demonstrates that the decommissioning proposals

would not have a significant adverse effect on human health, the environment or

other users of the sea, and that leaving the footings of the Brent Alpha steel jacket

and the concrete gravity based installations Brent Bravo, Brent Charlie and Brent

Delta including the cell contents in-situ is the best management solution.





To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent

discussions he has had with his European counterparts on Shell's proposed plans for the

(a) steel jackets and (b) concrete bases underneath decommissioned Brent oilfield

platforms (i) Bravo, (ii) Charlie and (iii) Delta east of Shetland.

Kwasi Kwarteng:

Officials from Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning

(OPRED) have met with the OSPAR Contracting Parties to discuss issues around the

Brent decommissioning derogation application over the last 6 months.


To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what (a)

estimate and (b) assessment his department has made of the (i) amount and (ii)

composition of materials in the (A) steel jackets and (B) concrete bases underneath

decommissioned Brent oilfield platforms (1) Bravo, (2) Charlie and (3) Delta east of

Shetland.

Kwasi Kwarteng:

The Brent decommissioning proposal conservatively estimates that the cells

contained within the concrete gravity based installation contain approximately

640,000 cubic metres (m3) of hydrocarbon contaminated seawater and 40,000 m3 of

hydrocarbon contaminated sediments with a total estimated hydrocarbon load of

approximately 16,000 tonnes. BEIS officials have reviewed the associated

environmental impact assessment including supporting technical documents and

have determined that the environmental impact assessment presented by Shell

demonstrates that the decommissioning proposals would not have a significant

adverse effect on human health, the environment or other users of the sea, and that

leaving the cell contents in-situ is the best management solution. The Brent Alpha

steel jacket has no materials remaining within it.

Any approval of the derogation permit to leave in-situthe footings of the Brent Alpha

steel jacket and the concrete gravity based installations Brent Bravo, Brent Charlie

and Brent Delta will include permit conditions to continue to develop technology for

the management of the structures (including in-situremediation for the contents of the

structures). Shell and the Brent field licensees will remain responsible and liable in

perpetuity for any structures left in-situ.

In addition, drill cuttings piles are present on the seabed at all of the Brent

installations and on top of cells of the concrete gravity based installations and BEIS

officials have determined that the best management option is to leave the cuttings

piles to degrade in-situ.




Supermarkets: Coronavirus

Mr Stephen Morgan: [37870]


assessment he has made of the accuracy of reports that supermarkets are not

implementing Government policy (a) restricting shopping to essential goods and (b) on

social distancing within shops during the covid-19 outbreak.

Paul Scully:

Government is clear that people should only leave the house for four reasons, which

includes shopping for food and other essentials if they have to. Government have not

published a list of goods it deems essential nor asked supermarkets to reduce the

range of products they sell.

We have set out the general principles and measures for how social distancing can

be implemented in the workplace, including staggering processes which would

enable staff to continue to operate both effectively and where possible at a safe

distance from one another.

We have also set out tailored advice for different scenarios as an example of how

social distancing and other measures that might be implemented by employers in

England to help protect their workforce and customers from coronavirus while still

continuing to trade.

Everyone must comply with the rules issued by the Government in relation to

coronavirus, in order to protect both themselves and others. In England,

Environmental Health and Trading Standards officers will monitor compliance with

these regulations with police support if appropriate.

Travel Agents: Coronavirus

Mr Barry Sheerman: [37463]


plans to take to support small travel agencies facing financial difficulties as a result of

cancellations, refunds and loss of income during the covid-19 outbreak.

Paul Scully:

The Government recognises the extremely difficult circumstances many businesses

are currently facing. The Government has launched an unprecedented set of support

measures. The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) offers

financial support to smaller businesses that are losing revenue, and seeing their

cashflow disrupted, as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Firms with a turnover of up

to £45 million can apply for a loan, invoice finance, asset finance or overdraft of up to

£5 million for up to six years.




CABINET OFFICE

Constituencies


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will amend the Government's guidance to

the Electoral Commission to ensure the Commission's recommendations on the 2018

Boundary Review are based on the number of people on the electoral register rather than

in the total population.

Chloe Smith:

Given the independent nature of the Boundary Commissions, the Government has

not issued guidance to either the Electoral Commission or to the Boundary

Commissions in respect of the conduct of boundary reviews.

Boundary reviews have always been based on the number of registered electors. The

2018 Boundary Review was conducted by the four independent Boundary

Commissions in accordance with the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 which

provides for boundary reviews and their recommendations to be based on the

number of registered electors.

Freedom of Information: Coronavirus


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure timely

responses by Departments to Freedom of Information requests during the covid-19

outbreak.

Chloe Smith:

It is important that Departments continue to respond to requests for access to

information during this period as a key means of supporting transparency. We

recognise that Departments face a range of pressures, and in some cases may not

have access to the information requested. The Cabinet Office continues to provide

advice to support delivery, in line with guidance issued by the Information

Commissioner.

Veterans


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to support

veterans and their families in (a) Stoke-on-Trent, (b) Kidsgrove and (c) England.

Johnny Mercer:

This Government is absolutely committed to making the United Kingdom the best

place to be a veteran anywhere in the world. We have created the Office for

Veterans’ Affairs in the Cabinet Office to ensure veteran’s are represented right at the

heart of Government.





We have also introduced measures such as discounted railcards; guaranteed

interviews to make it easier for veterans to join the Civil Service; creating more

Armed Forces champions in the Department for Work and Pensions; introducing a

national insurance holiday to encourage employers to maximise the talents of

veterans in our workforce; improved access to housing; making it easier for veterans

to access physical and mental healthcare support for veterans in the NHS, as well as

introducing to legislation to ensure veterans are not subject to unfair historic

investigations and further strengthening the Armed Forces Covenant in law.

Specifically in Stoke on Trent, Veterans UK works very closely with the Veterans

Support Centre, which is located in Newcastle Under Lyme and has supported over

18,000 people since the centre opened in 2015.

DEFENCE

Army: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of

troops that can be deployed to support key services during the covid-19 outbreak.

James Heappey:

Defence is dedicated to supporting the Government's COVID-19 response, primarily

through support to other Government Departments, principally the Departtment for

Health and Social Care and the NHS. Currently 19,069 personnel are available for

COVID tasking. Of these, 2,848 members of the Armed Forces are currently

deployed to assist Civil Authorities with the response, currently working on 73 Military

Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) activities, with a further 30 MACA tasks completed

(as of 21 April).

Scottish Government: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has offered

assistance to the Scottish Government to help tackle the covid-19 outbreak.

James Heappey:

Defence is committed to supporting the entirety of the United Kingdom in the battle

against COVID-19. Military personnel are active in each of the devolved nations and

on standby to meet further requests from their Civil Authorities. Military planners are

either already supporting or available to support each of the Scottish Government,

Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive.

For instance, helicopters detached to Kinloss barracks are providing support as part

of the Covid Support Force to conduct medical evacuations from remote areas and

distribution tasks.




VE Day: Anniversaries


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to

commemorate VE Day.

Johnny Mercer:

The Ministry of Defence will be supporting the Government plans to mark the 75th

anniversary of Victory in Europe Day to ensure that our nation's veterans are

appropriately commemorated. An announcement will be made in due course.

DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Digital Technology and Internet

Julie Elliott: [38913]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he

has made of the level of digital skills by age group; and what estimate he has made of the

number of people able to access an internet connection by age group.

Caroline Dinenage:

The Government understands the importance of digital skills and the ability to access

the internet in building a world-leading economy that works for everyone.

We work with the Lloyds Consumer Digital Index and Ofcom survey data, which

provide estimates of the proportion of people by age group that have all the essential

digital skills for life, and their internet connection take-up.

In addition, DCMS funded the 2019 Oxford Internet Survey (OxIS), a large scale

survey of internet users, non-users and ex-users, to provide further insights into

internet and ICT access and use, attitudes to technology and supporting

demographic and geographic information. This highlighted that:

• Internet use has expanded in all age groups, although the increase is small over

the past 6 years.

• Almost everyone is online up to about the age of 50. After 50 there is a sharp

decline in Internet use of about 2 percentage points per year.

Table 1: Essential Digital Skills for Life by Age Group




AGE 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

Proportion

within age

group with

Essential

Digital Skills

for life, 2019

94% 93% 89% 85% 72% 45%

Source: Lloyds Bank UK Consumer Digital Index 2019 (

https://www.lloydsbank.com/banking-with-us/whats-happening/consumer-digital-

index.html )

Table 2: Internet Connection Take up by Age Group

16+ 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+

4G mobile 70% 91% 91% 86% 80% 60% 38% 17%

Any

internet

connection

at home

87% 95% 96% 94% 94% 86% 78% 52%

Broadband

connection

at home

82% 86% 88% 89% 89% 81% 75% 49%

Source: Ofcom Communications Market Report 2019: Market in context - device and

service take up -Telecoms ( https://www.ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/multi-

sector-research/cmr/interactive-data )

Internet: Safety

Kate Griffiths: [37876]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to

bring forward legislative proposals on online harms in respect of (a) people working from

home and (b) children being educated at home during the covid-19 outbreak.

https://www.lloydsbank.com/banking-with-us/whats-happening/consumer-digital-index.html



https://www.ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/multi-sector-research/cmr/interactive-data





Caroline Dinenage:

The government is committed to making the UK the safest place to be online. The

next step for our online harms proposals is to publish the full government response,

which we will do later this year. We will follow that with legislation, once

Parliamentary time allows.

We recognise that the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has impacted everyone’s

daily lives and it is likely that more people will be spending more time online. The

government has published new guidance which outlines steps that people can take to

stay connected and safe online during this time. The guidance also provides more

detailed information for parents and carers to manage children’s safety online.

Newspaper Press: Coronavirus

Ruth Edwards: [39800]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what support is

available to small publishers producing freesheet newspapers during the covid-19

outbreak.

Mr John Whittingdale:

The Government recognises the vital role played by media organisations, including

small publishers of free newspapers, through their provision of independent, trusted

information. During this pandemic, the availability of reliable news content is all the

more important.

The Government is committed to supporting the newspaper industry and has ensured

that key sector staff, such as field engineers and reporters, have been awarded key

worker status. We have also sought to address potential distribution issues, issuing

guidance to local authorities on the importance of newspaper delivery, for example.

We understand that newspapers are facing acute financial pressures due to the steep

drop in advertising revenues in particular. The government is maximising advertising

opportunities for the sector in the challenging economic climate by implementing a

significant public information campaign across the local and national press. This has

allowed us to provide up-to-date information about our Covid-19 response through

reliable channels while also seeking to help offset financial disruptions felt across the

sector.

In parallel, we have taken steps to find an urgent solution to ensure that the use of

‘keyword blocklisting’ technology is not inadvertently damaging news publishers’

online advertising revenues for COVID-19 related stories. DCMS has been in

dialogue with the relevant technology companies, and many major UK brands, to

tackle this issue and ensure that relevant policies and systems are not penalising

publishers for producing much needed coronavirus content.



Other financial measures are also available for freesheet publishers as part of our

unprecedented package of support. These include the Business Interruption Loan,

Job Retention Scheme, VAT and tax deferrals, and coverage of statutory sick pay

costs.

The Government is clear that providing the public with reliable information on the

current crisis is a priority and that newspapers provide one of the vehicles for

achieving this. We will continue to review our response policies and engage actively

with the sector throughout this challenging period.

Seasonal Workers: Coronavirus

Selaine Saxby: [37937]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is

taking to help people that are employed on regular seasonal contracts in the (a) tourism

industry and (b) Royal National Lifeboat Institution during the covid-19 outbreak.

Nigel Huddleston:

The Chancellor has set out unprecedented support for workers - including seasonal

workers across the tourism industry - to protect them against the current economic

emergency. This includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-

Employed Income Support Scheme.

After consultation with businesses, we have changed the cut-off date for employees

to be employed and paid from 28 February to 19 March (the day before the Job

Retention Scheme was announced). This means that over 200,000 more people will

benefit.

This change expands the scheme to cover more workers, whilst keeping the fraud

risks under control.

Social Enterprises: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions his

Department has had with representatives of the social enterprise sector on the effect of

the covid-19 outbreak on their businesses.

Mr John Whittingdale:

Ministers and officials are engaging constantly with representatives across the social

enterprise sector to ensure a complete understanding of the unique challenges being

faced by social enterprises as a result of Covid-19. We have been using, and

continue to use, these ongoing insights and data to shape government support for

social enterprises during this time of financial difficulty. By engaging with key

membership bodies, such as Social Enterprise UK (SEUK), we will be monitoring the

effectiveness of support measures in the coming weeks and months.




Tourism: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he plans to

take to support the tourism industry to rebuild following the covid-19 outbreak.

Nigel Huddleston:

The Government is committed to helping the tourism industry through this crisis and

beyond. We will continue to engage with stakeholders to assess how we can most

effectively support the sector during the recovery period.

We have announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect

them against the current economic emergency. This includes employee support,

business rates relief and grants for eligible hospitality and leisure businesses, plus

£330bn worth of government backed and guaranteed loans. The Chancellor also

announced a Bounce Back loan scheme to help small businesses access loans of up

to £50,000, with a 100% government-backed guarantee for lenders.

Our immediate national priority is containing the spread of the virus. As soon as it is

safe to do so, we will be encouraging people to book holidays and support tourism

companies once again.

EDUCATION

Assessments: Coronavirus

Tim Farron: [37559]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether examiners will be paid in full for

contracts they have signed relating to exams which were due to take place in summer

2020.

Nick Gibb:

This is a matter for individual examination boards that employ examiners.

Childminding: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support he is providing to (a)

childminders and (b) families that rely on childminding services during the covid-19

outbreak.

Vicky Ford:

We have asked parents to keep their children at home wherever possible, and, like all

early years providers, childminders should remain open only for children who are

vulnerable and for those children of workers critical to the coronavirus (COVID-19)

response.





Our guidance for early years settings, including childminders, about childcare

provision following the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), including funding

support, is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-

covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures.

Children: Day Care

Gareth Thomas: [37394]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that health

and social care workers are able to access childcare through schools when required; and

if he will make a statement.

Vicky Ford:

Schools are open for children of critical workers, including health and social care

workers, to that they are able to access childcare while they play their vital role in our

COVID-19 response.

The full list of critical workers eligible for a school place is here :

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-

educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-

maintaining-educational-provision.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if the Government will cover the increased

childcare costs for part-time (a) NHS and (b) emergency workers who return to work full-

time during the covid-19 outbreak.

Vicky Ford:

NHS staff, emergency workers and all other critical workers are central to our efforts

in battling the COVID-19 outbreak. That is why our objective is to ensure that critical

workers have the childcare that they need to do their jobs during this crisis. We

expect early years and childcare settings, schools and local authorities to work

together to ensure sufficient provision for children.

We have committed to continue providing free early education entitlement funding to

local authorities throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as ensuring early years

providers have access to other government support schemes for businesses whose

operations have been severely affected by COVID-19. Local authorities can use their

free entitlement funding differently, redistributing it – in exceptional cases and in a

clearly focussed and targeted way – in order to secure childcare for the children of

critical workers, where their usual arrangements are no longer possible.

Further information is available in the guidance published at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-yearsand-

childcare-closures.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures




https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision





https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-yearsand-childcare-closures




Education: Standards

Emma Hardy: [37896]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the

potential merits of suspending data, performance tables and targets for further education

colleges and sixth form colleges until September 2021.

Gillian Keegan:

As part of steps taken to fight the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), the government

announced that all exams due to take place in schools and colleges in England in

summer 2020 are cancelled and that it will not publish any school or college level

educational performance data based on tests, assessments or exams for 2020. This

includes both school and college performance tables and qualification achievement

rates. This announcement can be found at the following link:

https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-

statements/written-statement/Commons/2020-03-23/HCWS176/.

We will also not include any 2020 results data at pupil level in future performance

tables.

The department will not hold schools or colleges to account on the basis of exams

and assessment data from summer 2020. Additionally, this data will not be used by

other organisations, such as Ofsted and local authorities, to hold schools or colleges

to account. Further information can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-school-and-

college-performance-measures.

We have made no assessment yet of the potential case for and against suspending

data and performance tables beyond this year.

Free School Meals: Coronavirus

Siobhain McDonagh: [37415]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what rate of commission Edenred is charging

for its service to provide free school meal vouchers during the covid-19 outbreak.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what process his Department used to select

the provider for the free school meal voucher programme during the covid-19 outbreak.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department made an

assessment of the accessibility of all retailers when designing the free school meal

voucher scheme during the covid-19 outbreak.

Vicky Ford:

The contract for the national free school meals voucher scheme was let against

Crown Commercial Service framework RM6133. The successful provider is the sole

provider on the framework and direct awards are permitted action. The department


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-school-and-college-performance-measures







does not comment on the commercial arrangements of third parties but can confirm

that we are only paying for the face value of goods delivered – in this case, vouchers.

The vouchers can currently be spent in a variety of supermarkets. Initially, the

scheme includes supermarkets that already have e-gift card arrangements in place

with Edenred, including Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons, M&S and Waitrose. On

21 April, we were pleased to confirm that Aldi will be added to the list of supermarkets

from the week commencing 27 April. We are working to see if additional

supermarkets can be added to this list as soon as possible. Where families are

unable to access any of these supermarkets, schools are able to buy vouchers for

other retailers and we have published guidance setting out how we will compensate

schools who incur additional costs in providing free school meals or vouchers to

pupils affected by COVID-19.

GCSE: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to help

ensure that students who will miss (a) examinations and (b) assessments due to the

covid-19 outbreak have clear information on what teacher assessments for their final

GCSE grades will comprise; and what the status is of GCSE exams taken in year 10 is in

that assessment.

Nick Gibb:

Our latest guidance on GCSEs and A levels is set out below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-

schools-and-other-educational-settings.

The independent qualifications regulator Ofqual is working very closely with exam

boards to develop and implement a system for awarding grades this summer that is

as fair as possible. Ofqual is consulting until 29 April on a range of aspects of that

system, including the issues raised. The consultation is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/exceptional-arrangements-for-exam-

grading-and-assessment-in-2020.

Ofqual will be responding on those issues as soon as possible after the consultation

has closed.

Alberto Costa: [37883]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to

ensure that GCSE pupils taught by external providers have their learning validated in the

absence of exams due to the covid-19 outbreak.

Nick Gibb:

As both my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer,

have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected

by COVID-19.


https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/exceptional-arrangements-for-exam-grading-and-assessment-in-2020





Our latest guidance on GCSEs is set out below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-cancellation-of-

gcses-as-and-a-levels-in-2020/coronavirus-covid-19-cancellation-of-gcses-as-and-a-

levels-in-2020.

The independent qualifications regulator Ofqual is working closely with exam boards

to develop and implement a system for awarding GCSE grades this summer that is

as fair as possible. Ofqual is consulting until 29 April on a range of aspects of that

system, including the issues the hon. Member has raised. The consultation is

available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/exceptional-arrangements-

for-exam-grading-and-assessment-in-2020.

Ofqual will be responding on those issues as soon as possible after the consultation

has closed.

Nurseries: Coronavirus

Vicky Foxcroft: [37799]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government plans to take steps

to ensure that parents whose children are not able to attend nurseries during the covid-19

outbreak are not required to pay fees to maintain those nurseries in business.

Vicky Ford:

We are working hard to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on all parts of our society,

including individuals and business. Childcare providers will have individual

agreements with parents and therefore we urge all childcare providers to be

reasonable and balanced in their dealings with parents, given the great uncertainty

they will be facing too.

Guidance for early years settings, including the support available to them, can be

found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-

childcare-closures/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures.

Further guidance on funding and financial support available for education, childcare

and children’s social care organisations can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-

for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care.

Offences Against Children

Wera Hobhouse: [37977]


safeguard children from abuse while schools are closed due to covid-19.

Vicky Ford:

Ensuring that vulnerable children remain protected is a top priority for government.

We know that, for many vulnerable children, attending an education setting is a

protective factor from harm. We have therefore asked schools to remain open for

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-cancellation-of-gcses-as-and-a-levels-in-2020/coronavirus-covid-19-cancellation-of-gcses-as-and-a-levels-in-2020








https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures



https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care





children who are vulnerable, as well as for those children of workers critical to the

COVID-19 response. Where a child or young person who has a social worker does

not attend school, providers should follow up with the parent or carer – and social

worker/local authority, where appropriate – to explore reasons for absence.

Our latest guidance on supporting vulnerable children and young people during the

coronavirus outbreak can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-

vulnerable-children-and-young-people.

Local authorities have the key day-to-day responsibility for delivery of children’s

social care, and we are working closely with them to ensure stability of services for

our most vulnerable children.

In addition, through the Coronavirus Act 2020 we have taken powers to bring

previously registered social workers onto the register of social workers held by the

regulator, Social Work England. Information about this is available at:

www.socialworkengland.org.uk/news/social-work-together/.

£3.2 billion of additional funding is being provided to support local authorities to

address any pressures they are facing in response to the COVID-19 outbreak,

including for delivering children’s social care.

The government is also making £1.6 million of funding available immediately for the

NSPCC to expand and promote its national helpline for adults. Expanding the

helpline will mean that many more adults know how and where to raise concerns and

seek advice or support about the safety and well-being of any children they are

worried about.

We have also published safeguarding advice to support schools and colleges to work

with local authorities to keep children safe, including online. This advice is available

at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-

colleges-and-other-providers/coronavirus-covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-

and-other-providers.

Pre-school Education: Staff

Tulip Siddiq: [37822]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak, if his

Department will (a) undertake an impact assessment on mental health of staff in the early

years sector and (b) put in place safeguarding measures and support for people in that

sector as required.

Vicky Ford:

Those who work in the education and childcare sector rightly take their place next to

our NHS staff and other critical workers as central to our efforts in battling COVID-19.

We are keenly aware that the extraordinary measures that have been taken to

prevent the spread of COVID-19 present an unprecedented challenge for childcare

settings and their workers, as well as the communities they serve. We appreciate the

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people



http://www.socialworkengland.org.uk/news/social-work-together/

http://www.socialworkengland.org.uk/news/social-work-together/

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers/coronavirus-covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers






selfless dedication that childcare staff demonstrate in their work every single day. We

encourage childcare providers to continue to monitor and support the wellbeing of all

their staff at this time.

Guidance for early years settings is published at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-

childcare-closures.

Private Education: Coronavirus

Stuart Anderson: [37880]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has plans to introduce financial

support for independent schools affected by the covid-19 outbreak which are not eligible

for the business interruption loan scheme.

Nick Gibb:



by COVID-19.

Our latest guidance setting out the financial support that is available to independent

schools is set out below: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-

covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-

care/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-

social-care#independent-schools.

The guidance clarifies that this financial support includes the Coronavirus Business

Interruption Loan Scheme, which many independent schools will be eligible to apply

for, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for furloughed workers and the Statutory

Sick Pay relief scheme for non-public sector employers.

These are rapidly developing circumstances. We continue to keep the situation under

review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

Qualifications: Coronavirus

Steve McCabe: [37435]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he plans to publish guidance on how

(a) functional skills and (b) vocational qualifications will be graded as a result of the covid-

19 outbreak.

Gillian Keegan:

The department has been working at pace with Ofqual to take the necessary action to

deliver assessments for vocational and technical qualifications as a result of the

cancellation of exams and assessments in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.

On 9 April, Ofqual published its approach to vocational and technical qualifications –

this can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/awarding-vocational-and-

technical-qualifications-this-summer.





https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care#independent-schools






https://www.gov.uk/government/news/awarding-vocational-and-technical-qualifications-this-summer




As the vocational and technical qualifications landscape is complex, different

assessment approaches will be appropriate for different types of qualification. The

publication set out the approaches that should be taken.

Ofqual launched its consultation on 24 April on the implementation of these

measures. The consultation closes on 8 May and can be found at

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/exceptional-arrangements-for-

assessment-and-grading-in-2020.

Schools: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the

potential effect of school closures during the covid-19 outbreak on the educational

attainment of pupils in the long term.

Nick Gibb:

[Holding answer 15 April 2020]: The Department is committed to ensuring that

children can continue to learn in these very difficult circumstances. We issued

guidance on 7 April which signposts to an initial list of free online resources for

schools and parents to help children to learn at home. This is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-

resources.

In addition, some leading state schools have collaborated to open The Oak National

Academy, which was launched online on 20 April. This new initiative is led by 40

teachers who have assembled video lessons and resources for any teacher in the

country to make use of if they wish to do so. 180 video lessons will be provided each

week, across a broad range of subjects, for every year group from Reception through

to Year 10. The BBC has also developed resources for families as part of a

comprehensive new education package, which are now available on TV and online.

On 19 April, the Department issued information, guidance and support to parents and

carers of children who are continuing their education from home, which is available

at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/supporting-your-childrens-education-during-

coronavirus-covid-19.

On the same day, we also published information on the Department’s work in

partnership with suppliers to provide technology to support remote education, which

is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-help-with-technology-for-remote-

education-during-coronavirus-covid-19.

Devices will be ordered for the most disadvantaged children who would otherwise not

have access and are preparing for examinations in Year 10, for those who receive

support from a social worker, and for care leavers.

Where care leavers, children with a social worker at secondary school and children in

Year 10 do not have internet connections, we are working to provide 4G connectivity

to them so that they can learn at home.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/exceptional-arrangements-for-assessment-and-grading-in-2020




https://www.gov.uk/guidance/supporting-your-childrens-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19



https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-help-with-technology-for-remote-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19




Students: Coronavirus

Preet Kaur Gill: [38506]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to support school

students who do not have internet access during the covid-19 outbreak.

Nick Gibb:

On 19 April 2020, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education,

announced that devices will be provided for the most disadvantaged children who

would otherwise not have access and are preparing for exams (in Year 10), or

receive support from a social worker or are a care leaver. Local authorities, trusts and

other relevant organisations overseeing schools have been given guidance on how to

place online orders for government-funded and allocated devices for eligible children

and young people.

Where care leavers, children with a social worker at secondary school and children in

Year 10 do not have internet connections, we will also provide the capability for them

to access the internet.

Additionally, the country’s major telecommunication companies will make it easier for

families to access selected educational resources by temporarily exempting these

sites from data charges.

For those in rural areas or without a connection, schools will be able to draw on

support from the BBC which is broadcasting lessons on television; as well as their

existing resources and the many resources offers which have been made by

publishers across the country.

Supply Teachers: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with the

Chancellor of the Exchequer on ensuring that supply teachers that are employed through

umbrella companies receive 80 per cent of their average wage, rather than 80 per cent of

their basic pay, while furloughed as a result of the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make

a statement.

Nick Gibb:

Officials at all levels are working collaboratively across Government to meet the

extraordinary challenges of these unprecedented times.

Employers can claim for any regular payments they are obliged to pay their

employees. This includes wages, past overtime, fees, and compulsory commission

payments. However, discretionary bonus, commission, and non-cash payments,

including tips, should be excluded.

Full guidance on how to calculate 80% of employees’ wages can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/work-out-80-of-your-employees-wages-to-claim-

through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme.



https://www.gov.uk/guidance/work-out-80-of-your-employees-wages-to-claim-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme






provide financial support to supply teachers in response to the covid-19 outbreak.

Nick Gibb:



by COVID-19.

Our latest school workforce guidance on COVID-19, including supply teachers, is set

out below: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-school-

closures/guidance-for-schools-about-temporarily-closing#supply-teachers-and-other-

contingent-workers.

Further guidance on financial support for all education institutions is set out below:


for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-

support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care.

These are rapidly developing circumstances. We continue to keep the situation under

review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture: Coronavirus

Mr Laurence Robertson: [37429]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support he is

providing to farmers to compensate for (a) the loss of product sales and (b) lower market

prices as a result of the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.

Victoria Prentis:

The Government is aware that coronavirus represents a very significant challenge to

daily life and to every part of the economy. We are working closely alongside the

farming industry to ensure that we understand and manage the impacts to farming

and the food supply chain.

Defra’s Food Chain Emergency Liaison Group is meeting regularly to discuss the

impact of COVID-19 on the food and farming sectors across the UK and what actions

are needed to support the sector. This group includes the NFU, other industry

stakeholders and the devolved administrations.

The Government is providing £330 billion of guarantees so any business needing

cash can access a low-cost, Government-backed loan. If demand is greater than the

initial £330 billion, then more capacity will be provided. This includes extension to the

COVID-19 Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) as well as a new lending

facility for larger firms.


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-school-closures/guidance-for-schools-about-temporarily-closing#supply-teachers-and-other-contingent-workers




https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care






The Government’s CBILS scheme is available to the farming sector and farm

businesses are being encouraged to access the loans that are available from this

scheme. Defra has held urgent discussions with the major banks to ensure they

understand that farmers are eligible for this scheme and communications are being

prepared to increase awareness across the industry.

The UK Agricultural Market Monitoring Group has increased the frequency of its

meetings. Its aim is to monitor UK agricultural markets and provide forewarning of

market movements. During the coronavirus outbreak this is allowing Defra and the

Devolved Administrations to share the latest stakeholder information and to prepare

the evidence base for a possible range of interventions needed in specific markets or

specific geographical regions.

The Secretary of State remains in regular contact with representatives of the farming

industry and will continue to engage with them on these important issues. We will

continue to monitor the situation and to work closely with the farming sector and to

respond to emerging issues as they arise.

Robert Halfon: [37597]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has

to ensure that the seasonal demand for fruit pickers will be met during the covid-19

outbreak; and what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on how those

positions can be filled.

Victoria Prentis:

The ongoing impacts of the Coronavirus outbreak have meant that there will be a

shortfall in the numbers of workers who usually travel to the UK from Europe to work

during the harvest season, with the demand for workers peaking from late May

through the summer.

Farming leaders have already kick-started a recruitment drive for work on farms, with

thousands of British people already expressing an interest in picking up seasonal

agricultural work over the coming weeks and months. With many British workers

furloughed from their jobs, and students having to put their summer plans on hold,

the Government is supporting industry efforts to help farmers bring in this year’s

harvest, working to build on these numbers.

The majority of roles for the early part of the harvest season have already been filled.

We are closely monitoring the situation and we will shortly be launching a public-

facing campaign to highlight the roles available from late May onwards and to

encourage people to apply. The Government has confirmed that those who have

been furloughed from their jobs due to coronavirus, and who are contractually

allowed to work for another employer, can take on this seasonal work.

A new Government-industry digital hub for seasonal work information and job

opportunities has been launched to provide guidance on getting into farm work and

links to the available jobs and recruiters. The website can be found at



pickforbritain.org.uk and will be updated regularly over the coming weeks to help

match jobs to workers as the demand grows.

Air Pollution: Pollution Control

Peter Aldous: [38589]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment

his Department has made of the steps required to meet the World Health Organization

guideline values for PM2.5; and if he will publish those assessments.

Rebecca Pow:

In July 2019, the Government published a report assessing the progress that will be

made towards World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines under a range of

scenarios. The report concluded that while significant progress would be made,

additional action would be required in large urban areas such as London. The

analysis did not outline a pathway to achieve the WHO guideline level for fine

particulate matter (PM2.5) across the country, and did not take into account full

economic viability and practical deliverability.

The Environment Bill establishes a legally binding duty to set a target for PM2.5,

demonstrating our commitment to action on the air pollutant that has the most

significant impact on human health. We are committed to setting challenging targets

and following an evidence based process, seeking advice from a range of experts, in

addition to giving consideration to the WHO’s air quality guidelines. Stakeholders,

Parliament and the public will have the opportunity to comment on and provide input

for the process of developing this target.

Cats and Dogs: Meat

Andrew Rosindell: [37500]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,what assessment

he has made of the implications for his policies of the statement by officials in Shenzhen,

China, on the reasons for a proposed ban on the human consumption of dog and cat

meat in their city.



to bring forward legislative proposals to ban the human consumption of dogs and cats in

the UK.

Victoria Prentis:

The Government shares the public’s high regard for animal welfare, including the

welfare of dogs and cats, and we are committed to making the UK a world leader in

protection of animals now we have left the EU.

The Government is appalled by the prospect of dogs and cats being consumed.

However, it is already illegal to sell dog and cat meat for human consumption and the





Government has seen no evidence that dog and cat meat is being sold or consumed

in this country.

We are confident that the current position in this country sends a clear message that

the slaughter and consumption of dogs and cats will never be acceptable. Indeed, the

Foreign & Commonwealth Office raises concerns about the welfare of animals with

other Governments and international authorities at every suitable opportunity and we

are pleased to hear that authorities in China are proposing to ban the consumption of

cat and dog meat.

Dairy Farming: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support he is

providing to farmers to compensate for the loss of milk sales as a result of the covid-19

outbreak; and if he will make a statement.


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is

taking to support dairy farmers facing difficulties as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Victoria Prentis:

Defra is working closely with the dairy industry to manage the impact of Covid-19.

Though demand for milk and some dairy products has increased in supermarkets,

farmers supplying milk to processors that sell into the food service sector have seen

a significant reduction in demand.

Between 5 and 10% of total milk production goes to the service trade and there is

therefore a small proportion of milk production that currently has no home. The vast

majority of Britain’s dairy farmers continue to supply their contracts at the usual price.

In order to support affected farmers, we have eased some elements of competition

law to make it easier for processors to come together to maximise production,

processing and storage efficiency and ensure as much product as possible can be

processed into high quality dairy products.

We have asked the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (which supports

the interests of dairy farmers) and Dairy UK (which represents the processors) to

work with farmers and processors to ensure that the industry can benefit from these

easements. We stand ready to support them throughout this pandemic. This

approach will allow the market for milk to adjust to the change in demand for milk

while allowing production to be restored when shops, restaurants and pubs are able

to open again.

The Government took a number of early emergency steps to support dairy farmers

and the wider sector. These included designating employees in the food sector as

key workers and temporarily relaxing the normal rules on drivers’ hours, enabling the

sector to keep supply chains running, including deliveries from farm gate to

processors.




The Government’s Covid-19 Business Interruption Loans scheme is available to the

dairy industry. Defra has held urgent discussions with the major banks to ensure they

understand that farmers, milk buyers and milk processors are eligible for this scheme

and communications are being prepared to increase awareness across the dairy

industry.

We will continue to engage closely with representatives from all parts of the dairy

supply chain to support the sector throughout this challenging period.

Electronic Commerce: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment

he has made of the level of adoption of the extremely vulnerable category in policies

pertaining to online shopping.

Victoria Prentis:

The Government is working to ensure that approximately 1.8 million people in

England identified by the NHS as being at higher risk of severe illness if they contract

Coronavirus have access to the food they need. The Government continues to

contact this cohort of shielded individuals and ask them to register via the online

Government webportal or via the phone if they need help accessing food.

In partnership with industry, the Government started to deliver shielding packages in

late March, to those that are clinically extremely vulnerable and have requested this

support. These packages consist of essential supplies and food. Supermarkets are

also prioritising online delivery slots for those that are most in need and have

expanded their capacity for home deliveries.

Just over 800,000 have registered online via the online webportal. Of this group, just

over 250,000 have indicated that they need support to access food. Supermarkets

are reporting good rates of matches to their customer bases and high numbers of

orders. We are asking those who need to shield to also make sure that they are

registered online directly with supermarkets, so that they can be matched and offered

delivery.

We are also working quickly to support people who do not fall into the category of

being clinically extremely vulnerable, but still need help getting essential food

supplies. This includes those who are elderly, disabled or have health conditions that

make it difficult for them to get the food they need. We are speaking to food retailers,

delivery organisations and volunteer groups to help prioritise those individuals to

access essential food. Wherever possible, people should continue to rely on friends,

family and wider community support.



Fisheries: Coronavirus

Ruth Jones: [37801]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the

Government plans to provide support for owners with mortgages on fishing boats in (a)

Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) England during the covid-19 outbreak.

Victoria Prentis:

Mortgage lenders have agreed to support customers experiencing personal financial

difficulties as a result of Coronavirus (Covid-19), including through payment holidays,

among other options. Vessel owners across the UK can contact their lender directly

to discuss whether a mortgage payment holiday or other arrangement would be

suitable for their particular situation.

Fisheries management is a devolved matter and each Devolved Authority is

responsible for determining and delivering appropriate financial interventions in their

region. Each of the Devolved Administrations has now announced financial schemes

to assist vessel owners meet their fixed costs. The appropriate authority should be

contacted for further information on the financial assistance available in their area.

In England, a £10 million fund has been created to help the fishing industry during

this period. Of this fund, £9 million in grants will be available to vessel owners and

aquaculture businesses to help them meet the fixed-costs of maintaining their

business. This includes interest on loans and mortgages, but not the capital cost of

the loan itself.

In England, the level of financial assistance to vessel owners will be determined by

the vessel length. The Marine Management Organisation has begun the process of

contacting eligible owners. Further details of the scheme may be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-financial-support-for-

englands-fishing-businesses.

Ruth Jones: [37802]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans the

Government has to provide support for fishers facing difficulties paying their boat

mortgages in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) Engand during the

covid-19 outbreak.

Victoria Prentis:

Mortgage lenders have agreed to support customers experiencing personal financial

difficulties as a result of Coronavirus (Covid-19), including through payment holidays,

among other options. Vessel owners across the UK can contact their lender directly

to discuss whether a mortgage payment holiday or other arrangement would be

suitable for their particular situation.

Fisheries management is a devolved matter and each Devolved Authority is

responsible for determining and delivering appropriate financial interventions in their

region. Each of the Devolved Administrations has now announced financial schemes


https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-financial-support-for-englands-fishing-businesses





to assist vessel owners meet their fixed costs. The appropriate authority should be

contacted for further information on the financial assistance available in their area.

In England, a £10 million fund has been created to help the fishing industry during

this period. Of this fund, £9 million in grants will be available to vessel owners and

aquaculture businesses to help them meet the fixed-costs of maintaining their

business. This includes interest on loans and mortgages, but not the capital cost of

the loan itself.

In England, the level of financial assistance to vessel owners will be determined by

the vessel length. The Marine Management Organisation has begun the process of

contacting eligible owners. Further details of the scheme may be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-financial-support-for-

englands-fishing-businesses.

Floods: West Lancashire

Rosie Cooper: [37527]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to

respond to the letter from West Lancashire Borough Council sent on 11 March 2019 on

flooding in West Lancashire.

Rebecca Pow:

I can confirm that Defra received the letter from West Lancashire Borough Council on

15 March 2019. A response was not issued due to administrative error.

A reply is now being drafted and will be sent to the council in due course.

Fly-tipping: Coronavirus



taking to prevent an increase in fly-tipping in rural areas during the covid-19 outbreak.

Rebecca Pow:

Fly-tipping is illegal, unacceptable wherever it occurs, and the Government is

committed to tackling this crime.

We are aware of reports of an increase in fly-tipping, although this is not consistent

across the country. Local authorities are maintaining the vast majority of household

waste collections, with 99% of councils responding to a weekly survey by ADEPT

reporting residual and recycling collections as operational. We have published

guidance to help local authorities prioritise waste services. This recommends that the

clearance of fly-tipped material should be given a high priority.

The Government is working with local authorities to explore ways in which household

waste recycling centres that have been closed might be re-opened, whilst observing

social distancing and other requirements. We will be publishing guidance for local

authorities on the re-opening of household waste recycling centres shortly.







Through the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group, chaired by Defra, we have

disseminated messaging promoting the secure storage of waste, use of registered

waste carriers and reiterating that waste must not be fly-tipped.

Food: Coronavirus

Caroline Lucas: [37563]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take

steps to ensure that Government advice on Public Health England’s healthy eating

EATWELL plate informs (a) food purchasing during the covid-19 outbreak (b) food supply

chains.

Victoria Prentis:

In the United Kingdom, the national food model, the Eatwell Guide (EG), provides a

visual representation of Government recommendations on a healthy balanced diet.

The EG and associated messaging is promoted through a range of existing channels

including: the NHS.UK website, the GOV.UK website, and the Government’s national

social marketing campaigns Change4Life and OneYou. The principles of the guide

also underpin Government guidance and tools including the Government Buying

Standards for Food and Catering Services and Public Health England’s catering

guidance.

The food industry has been working hard to keep food including fresh produce

flowing into stores and people’s houses. The Government has well-established ways

of working with the food industry during disruption to supply situations. We have

regular engagement with industry who are continuing to monitor the situation closely,

taking the necessary steps to address issues where they arise. Following a significant

spike in consumer demand, we have now seen stock levels in supermarkets improve.

To support the food sector, the Government temporarily relaxed competition law and

regulations relating to driver hours and delivery times so that the sector could work

together to keep putting food on the shelves.


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions

he has had with representatives of (a) civil society organisations, (b) consumer groups,

(c) public health organisations and (d) local authorities on ensuring people on low

incomes have adequate access to nutritionally healthy food during the covid-19 outbreak.

Victoria Prentis:

Defra officials are working closely with a) frontline food charities such as the Trussell

Trust and FareShare; charities supporting the vulnerable such as Age UK and

disabled charities; b) Citizen’s Advice Bureau; c) NHS England, Alzheimer’s Society

and Kidney Care UK and d) Local Authorities and the Local Government Association;

Local Resilience Forums made up of representatives from local public services,

including the emergency services, local authorities, the NHS, and the Environment

Agency. We are also engaging with supermarkets and with distribution companies

such as Brakes and Bidfoods.




We are remaining in regular contact with our stakeholders to identify the issues faced

by people on low incomes in accessing nutritionally healthy food during the COVID-

19 crisis, and to build intelligence in order to better inform the design of the scheme.

Our regular stakeholder Forum totals 111 individuals from 62 voluntary and

community sector organisations, universities and local authorities, plus

representatives from DCMS, Defra, DfE, DHSC, DWP, MHCLG and the NHS.

The Secretary of State and Minister Victoria Prentis have personally engaged with

the Trussell Trust. In addition, Minister Prentis has met with FareShare.



to issue nutrition advice to people during the lockdown period of the covid-19 outbreak.

Victoria Prentis:

The Department of Health and Social Care is the Government department

responsible for nutrition policy and Public Health England is responsible for issuing

nutritional advice to the public.

The Government has reissued advice for vitamin D supplementation. That is, if you

are not going outdoors often, you should consider taking a daily supplement

containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D. Therefore, we are recommending that while

the stay at home measures are in place, everyone follows this advice (including

children, pregnant and breastfeeding women and older people).

The Government continues to advise that during this time everyone follows a healthy,

balanced diet in line with the national food model, the Eatwell Guide.

Public Health England has updated channels such as Change4Life, Start4Life and

One You, to make them consistent with the wider COVID-19 and general advice on

healthier eating.


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the

Government is taking to encourage healthy eating among (a) children previously in

receipt of free school meals and (b) other at-risk groups.

Victoria Prentis:

In partnership with industry, the Government started to deliver shielding packages in

late March, to those that are clinically extremely vulnerable and in need of essential

supplies. Defra has worked with nutritionists to ensure that these packages are

nutritious. Supermarkets are also prioritising online delivery slots for those that are

most in need and have expanded their capacity for home deliveries.

We are also working to support people who do not fall into the category of being

clinically extremely vulnerable, but still need help getting essential food supplies. This

includes those who are elderly, disabled or have health conditions that make it

difficult for them to get the food they need. We are speaking to food retailers, delivery




organisations and volunteer groups to help prioritise those individuals to access

essential food.

A very large number of schools have signed up for the national Free School Meals

(FSM) voucher scheme. Through this scheme, schools can ensure that families with

FSM-eligible children receive a weekly shopping voucher to the value of £15 per

eligible child. Maintaining consumer choice is part of our offer. Families can use the

vouchers to purchase healthy food options.

Horticulture: Coronavirus



taking to ensure that garden centres are able to sell their plants that will otherwise go to

waste during the covid-19 outbreak.

Victoria Prentis:

The Government is keeping the situation on garden centres under review but

concluded last week that it was too early to ease any restrictions on retail

environments. Online sales have been able to continue subject to the same import

requirements as other imports, and the plant health inspectorate conducts regular

checks on this pathway.

We will continue to work closely with the representatives from the horticulture supply

chain to understand what short-term and long-term support the sector needs and how

we might be able to support them.

Afzal Khan: [37837]


to provide support to garden centres and plant nurseries during the covid-19 outbreak.

Victoria Prentis:

The Government is aware of the challenges currently faced by garden centres and

plant nurseries.

The Government is keeping the situation on garden centres under review, but

concluded last week that it was too early to ease any restrictions on such retail

environments. We will continue to work closely with the representatives from the

horticulture supply chain to understand what short-term and long-term support the

sector as a whole needs. We are ready to work with the industry to respond to

emerging issues quickly and effectively.

On 17 March the Chancellor announced an unprecedented package of government

support for businesses and the economy. As part of this, ornamental horticulture

businesses are able to access the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.




International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make

representations to his international counterparts on establishing the IUCN World

Conservation Congress 2020 as an online conference.

Rebecca Pow:

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has taken the decision

to postpone its World Conservation Congress to January 2021 due to the ongoing

COVID-19 pandemic. There are no plans for it to be held online.

The UK supports IUCN in its planning and preparation for the Congress and will

continue to work alongside the organisation to ensure the success of the event.

OSPAR Convention


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his policy is

on the UKs continued participation in the OSPAR Convention.

Victoria Prentis:

The UK Government will continue to support the valuable work of the OSPAR

Convention and to play a leading role in its programmes for protecting the North East

Atlantic Ocean. As we leave the EU it will provide an important opportunity for us to

collaborate and coordinate our work on protecting the marine environment with those

countries that neighbour our seas.

Supermarkets: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he

is taking to ensure that (a) key workers and (b) vulnerable people who are self-isolating

are given priority access to supermarket delivery slots online during the covid-19

outbreak.

Victoria Prentis:

The Government has put in place measures to ensure that those identified by the

NHS as being extremely clinically vulnerable and who are without a support network

of friends and family receive basic food and essential supplies. We have passed the

data of these individuals (in line with data protection regulations) to supermarkets,

who are placing these customers at the front of the queue for online delivery slots.

Currently, customers must be registered with a supermarket to be prioritised in this

way, but we are working with supermarkets to agree a process to allocate customers

who are not registered for support.

We are working quickly to support people who do not fall into the category of being

clinically vulnerable, but still need help getting essential food supplies. We are

working with industry, charities, other Government departments and Devolved





Administrations to ensure whatever support is needed is delivered in a coordinated

and consistent manner. We welcome measures that supermarkets have put in place

to support the elderly and other vulnerable groups, including prioritising them for

online delivery slots.

Many people are already being well supported by their friends, families, neighbours

and local communities. We are working with retailers and the voluntary sector to

ensure that people are supported to shop for others safely.

Most supermarkets offer protected in-store shopping hours for key workers, including

NHS staff and care workers, the elderly and other vulnerable groups.

Kirsten Oswald: [37914]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent

discussions the Government has had with the Competitions and Markets Authority on

supermarket pricing levels during the covid-19 outbreak.

Victoria Prentis:

The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain and representatives of our leading

supermarkets are working to ensure people have the food and products they need.

Retailers will work hard to mitigate any disruption to their supply chain that could

impact on their costs, to keep customer prices down as far as possible.

The Business Secretary met the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), business,

trade and consumer organisations on Thursday 9 April to discuss ways in which

profiteering could be tackled. The Prime Minister has been clear the Government will

look at further action, including legislation if necessary, to address any significant

issues.

We have not seen any evidence that profiteering on food is a significant or

widespread issue across the UK at present. We are in regular communication with all

major retailers, who have been responsible, committed and co-operative in their

response to Covid-19. We are aware, however, of concerns that a small minority of

businesses are exploiting consumers through harmful sales and pricing practices,

and the CMA has created a COVID-19 taskforce to address such issues. They have

already approached traders and trade associations on this matter.

Supermarkets: Electronic Commerce


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his

Department is taking with supermarkets to help vulnerable people to shop for groceries

online.

Victoria Prentis:

Supermarkets have been working at pace to expand the total number of delivery and

click and collect slots.

The Government is working to ensure that approximately 1.8 million people in

England identified by the NHS as being at higher risk of severe illness if they contract




Coronavirus have access to the food they need. We have shared with supermarkets

the details of those who have registered as extremely clinically vulnerable and need

help accessing food. These details are processed by the supermarkets, who match

these names against their own customer databases. They then offer people the

option of priority access to online delivery.

We are also working quickly to support people who do not fall into the category of

being clinically extremely vulnerable, but still need help getting essential food

supplies. This includes those who are elderly, disabled or have health conditions that

make it difficult for them to get the food they need. We are speaking to food retailers,

delivery organisations and volunteer groups to help prioritise those individuals to

access essential food. Most supermarkets are offering prioritised delivery and click

and collect slots to those they have identified as vulnerable from their customer

databases (for example by age, shopping habits or previous use of vulnerable

customer helplines). We are working closely with retailers and local authorities to

stand up a service to allow local authorities to refer vulnerable people to

supermarkets for a priority delivery or click and collect slot.

Waste Disposal: Coronavirus

Mr Kevan Jones: [37480]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans

to provide support for the private waste collection sector to help ensure the safe disposal

of waste from key sectors during the covid-19 outbreak.

Rebecca Pow:

The Government is continuing to work closely with the waste industry to understand

the impact on the sector of COVID-19 and to provide the necessary and appropriate

support.

The Chancellor has already announced unprecedented support for businesses in

general including a Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, deferral of VAT payments for

firms until the end of June and £330 billion of Government-backed and guaranteed

loans, including a Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

Defra has been working with the waste industry to develop an online platform to

facilitate the sharing of resources between local authorities and commercial

operators. The platform, Waste Support, was launched on 16 April. In addition, the

Environment Agency is taking a proportionate approach to regulation and has

published a number of COVID-19 Regulatory Position Statements to address specific

concerns around compliance with permit conditions, for instance on exceeding waste

storage limits at permitted sites. These can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/covid-19-regulatory-position-statements





Water Treatment: Sand


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an

assessment of the potential merits of introducing guidance to require water companies to

add sand traps to waste water treatment facilities.

Rebecca Pow:

Waste water treatment in the UK is largely determined by the requirements of the

Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 1994. The

Regulations have the objective of protecting the environment from the adverse effects

of waste water by setting minimum treatment levels supplemented by additional

requirements to protect more sensitive receiving waters. The Regulations set the

treatment standards to be achieved but do not prescribe the technology to be used to

meet these standards. The use of sand traps to meet these standards is therefore a

matter for water companies.

Zoos: Coronavirus



taking to ensure the welfare of animals in zoos is safeguarded during the covid-19

outbreak.

Victoria Prentis:

We recognise that zoos are undertaking very valuable work at this time to ensure that

the health and welfare needs of the diverse range of animals they care for are well

met. We are aware of the issues currently facing zoos and we have been engaging

with the main industry association, the British and Irish Association of Zoos and

Aquariums (BIAZA), and with individual zoos about the best way forward.

The Government has provided a package of temporary, timely and targeted

measures to support businesses, including zoos, through this period of disruption

caused by COVID-19. Zoos are eligible to apply for a range of support schemes

including the Job Retention Scheme, VAT deferral, Business Rates Relief, the

Business Interruption Loan schemes, the option to reclaim the costs of Statutory Sick

Pay and grant funding of up to £25,000.

In addition, specifically for zoos in severe financial distress, the Government is

introducing a Zoos Support Fund for licensed zoos in England. Similar support will be

provided by the Devolved Administrations. Where a zoo in England is in severe

financial distress and has fully explored and exhausted all other reasonable avenues

to generate income and reduce costs, including the existing COVID-19 business

support schemes, then they should approach Defra as quickly as possible. Defra has

already written to all licensed zoos in England to make them aware of the COVID-19

support schemes available as well as the new Zoo Support Fund.




FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

Afghanistan: Sikhs

Patrick Grady: [37858]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent

discussions he has had with the Home Secretary on the provision of (a) safe passage

and (b) asylum for members of the Sikh community fleeing persecution in Afghanistan.

Nigel Adams:

We strongly condemn the attack on a Sikh Gurdwara in Kabul on 25 March. Lord

(Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for South Asia with responsibility for

human rights and Her Majesty's Ambassador to Kabul have both condemned the

attack. The UK continues to urge the Government of Afghanistan to ensure the rights

of all ethnic and religious groups are protected, in line with the Afghan constitution.

The UK has a proud history of providing protection to those who need it, in

accordance with our international obligations under 1951 Refugee Convention and

the European Convention on Human Rights. The UK does not consider asylum

claims lodged outside UK territory and does not consider it appropriate to do so.

Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country

they reach - that is the fastest route to safety.

The UK's refugee resettlement schemes do offer a route for United Nations High

Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) recognised refugees in need of protection,

who have fled their country of origin. Through these schemes, the UK prioritises the

most vulnerable refugees regardless of race, religion or ethnicity and we do not

discriminate in favour of, or against, any group. We work closely with UNHCR, which

has well-established procedures and criteria for identifying refugees they consider to

be suitable for resettlement, taking into account their protection needs. Apart from the

criteria we set for each scheme, we do not seek to influence which cases are referred

to us by UNHCR.

Americas: Diplomatic Service

Catherine West: [37903]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many consular

staff have been employed in the Americas in each year since 2010.

Nigel Adams:

For each of the last five financial years, the number of consular staff employed in the

Americas has remained in the 90 to 100 bracket. This includes around 10 staff in our

Contact Centre in Ottawa which, alongside our Contact Centre in Malaga, Spain,

provides first contact consular support worldwide. The majority of the total are locally-

engaged staff, with UK-based staff numbering fewer than 10.




Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

Kate Green: [R] [37635]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the

Answer of 25 March 2020 to Question 31501 on Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences, what

steps his Department is taking under the prevention of sexual violence in conflict initiative

in addition to the faith and belief leader's declaration of humanity to provide support for

women from minority religious communities who are vulnerable to sexual violence in

conflict situations.

Nigel Adams:

As stated in my [Minister Adams] answer to PQ 31501, the UK is fully committed to

supporting all survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, and follows a survivor-

centred approach. We recognise that women from minority religious communities can

often suffer in situations of conflict because of both their gender and their faith. That

is why we ensure that our human rights policy work considers the intersectionality of

human rights, and the importance of addressing the specific vulnerabilities

experienced by women from religious minority communities. Examples of our work

include strengthening access to justice for survivors through training faith and belief

groups on how to document and respond to sexual violence within their communities,

and providing greater support and access to holistic care for children born of conflict-

related sexual violence.

Kate Green: [R] [37636]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his

Department is taking to (a) ensure progress on delivering the thematic strand of stigma

contained in the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and (b) support faith

leaders and faith groups to (i) help and (ii) care for women from minority religious

communities that have experienced sexual violence in conflict.

Nigel Adams:

The Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) is part of the UK's

Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan (NAP), which includes our strategy

for tackling and preventing conflict-related sexual violence. The Foreign and

Commonwealth Office will be developing an additional three-year strategy on PSVI,

which remains a top priority for the British Government. Our PSVI objectives will

remain to champion wider restorative justice for survivors and hold perpetrators to

account; support all survivors and children born of conflict-related sexual violence,

and tackle the stigma they face including those from religious minority communities;

and prevent sexual violence in conflict.

We are working with international faith and belief leaders to issue a 'Declaration of

Humanity' which calls for the end of sexual violence in conflict and to tackle the

stigma so often faced by survivors. We will also provide support to faith leaders and

faith groups by training them on how to document and respond to conflict-related

sexual violence, and will strengthen access to holistic care for all survivors, including

for women from minority religious communities who have experienced sexual




violence. We will ensure that the three-year strategy is survivor-centred, working

closely with the UK's PSVI Survivor Champions throughout its development.

Aviation: Coronavirus

Mr Alistair Carmichael: [37488]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many EU Civil

Protection Mechanism flights the Government has signed up to participate in as a result

of the covid-19 outbreak.

Nigel Adams:

The UK has activated the EU's Civil Protection Mechanism (CPM) on several

occasions, as part of our international response to coronavirus, which has helped

repatriate British Nationals and EU citizens. As of 16 April, the EU estimates that

1,837 British Nationals have been repatriated under the CPM.

Stranded British travellers and their families are our priority. One of the conditions of

activating the CPM is to allow EU nationals on board as well. In regions where there

have been a large number of British people who wish to return to the UK that has not

always been possible. The CPM would, therefore, not be relevant as we haven't been

able to offer seats to EU nationals.

British Nationals Abroad: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK

nationals have contacted UK embassies and consulates for help since covid-19 related

travel restrictions were introduced.

Nigel Adams:

Since 16 March, FCO staff in Embassies, Consulates, and our consular contact

centres, together with our commercially contracted call centres, have handled almost

105,000 telephone enquiries. In addition they have dealt with over 3,500 written

enquiries per week.

Mr David Jones: [38433]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his

Department has taken to assist British seafarers stranded overseas as a result of the

covid-19 outbreak to return to the UK.

James Cleverly:

The British Government's position on welfare was reiterated to the International

Labour Organisation and International Maritime Organisation at the start of this crisis,

and we will continue to uphold the highest standards for our seafarers. Where vessel

operators request assistance to repatriate their employees, the British Government

stands ready to work as quickly as possible to help those who may need rapid

consular assistance.





The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for Transport continue to

work closely to ensure the safety and wellbeing of British national crew members.

Operators are repatriating non-essential Crew and we have recently supported in

country to ensure crew are able to disembark in Europe and the US.

Diplomatic Service: Coronavirus



embassy and consulate staff are self-isolating as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Nigel Adams:

The FCO does not hold data centrally on the number of Embassy and Consulate staff

who are self-isolating because of COVID-19 symptoms.

Embassies



embassies are open as of 20 April 2020.

Nigel Adams:

On 20 April 2020, 98.6% of our Posts were open. 113 of these Posts are British

Embassies (this number does not include British High Commissions, Overseas

Territories or Posts which are subordinate to Embassies). Four Posts have closed

because of the Covid-19 pandemic: our Consulate Generals in Wuhan and

Chongqing and the Embassy offices (which do not hold Embassy status) in

N'djamena and Goma.



consulates remain open during the covid-19 pandemic.

Nigel Adams:

On 20 April 2020, 98.6% of our Posts were open. 37 of these are British Consulate

Generals and 16 are British Consulates. These numbers include only those Posts

classed as Consulate Generals or Consulates, and do not include other types of

overseas office or representation, such as Honorary Consulates.

Religious Freedom: Females


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish a

response to EDM 273, entitled International Women's Day and freedom of religion or

belief.

Nigel Adams:

As the EDM is a motion for a debate the FCO has no plans to reply in writing.






World Sikh Parliament


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent

discussions officials in his Department have had with representatives of the World Sikh

Parliament.

Nigel Adams:

The UK is committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), and

promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities.

Promoting the right to FoRB is one of the UK's human rights policy priorities. While

the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not had any recent discussions with the

World Sikh Parliament, we regularly work with international partners on FoRB,

including faith groups, civil society organisations and like-minded countries.

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

Abortion

Fiona Bruce: [32122]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many complications were

reported after (a) medical abortions and (b) surgical abortions in (i) 2017, (ii) 2018 and (iii)

2019.

Helen Whately:

[Holding answer 24 March 2020]: The number of complications reported after

medical and surgical abortions in 2017 and 2018 is available in the attached table.

Data on complications should be treated with caution as it is not possible to fully

verify complications recorded on HSA4 forms. In addition, complications that occur

after discharge may not be recorded.

Abortion statistics for 2017 and 2018 are available at the following links:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/abortion-statistics-for-england-and-wales-

2018

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/abortion-statistics-for-england-and-wales-

2017

The Code of Practice outlined in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007

prohibits the pre-release of official statistics before the due date of publication. Data

on complications in 2019 is still being collected and requires full quality assurance

prior to release. Data for 2019 is due to be published on 11 June.

Attachments:

1. table [PQ32122.xlsx]



https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/abortion-statistics-for-england-and-wales-2018






http://qna.files.parliament.uk/qna-attachments/1186487/original/PQ32122.xlsx


Fiona Bruce: [32125]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many women per 1,000

resident women have had an abortion. in each of the last five years.

Helen Whately:

[Holding answer 24 March 2020]: The abortion rate per 1,000 women for 2015 to

2018 is available in the attached table.

Abortion statistics can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/abortion-statistics-for-england-and-wales

The Code of Practice outlined in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007

prohibits the pre-release of official statistics before the due date of publication. Data

on the abortion rate per 1,000 women in 2019 is still being collected and requires full

quality assurance prior to release. Data for 2019 is due to be published on 11 June.

Attachments:

1. table [PQ32125.xlsx]

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Dan Jarvis: [37669]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has

to provide guidance to the residential care sector on isolating care home residents that

test positive for covid-19 in order to reduce the transmission of that disease to vulnerable

residents.

Helen Whately:

To support the care sector in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department

published the Adult Social Care Action Plan on 15 April 2020. The action plan

contains measures to help keep people safe in residential care, including additional

testing and guidance on isolation and cohorting measures.

Additionally, the Government, NHS England, Public Health England and Care Quality

Commission co-published updated guidance on 2 April 2020. ‘Admission and Care of

Residents during COVID-19 Incident in a Care Home’ sets out infection control and

cohorting advice to care homes to ensure providers have the confidence to receive

and support residents.

The Care Homes guidance includes information on caring for residents who have

tested positive for COVID-19, including advice on personal protective equipment and

infection control. Care home providers should be following social distancing

measures and shielding guidance wherever possible.




http://qna.files.parliament.uk/qna-attachments/1186494/original/PQ32125.xlsx



Childbirth


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the covid-19

outbreak, what steps he is taking to ensure that women are allowed to have a birth

partner with them during labour.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

Guidance produced by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is

clear that women should be encouraged to have a single birth partner, who has no

symptoms of COVID-19, present with them during labour and birth, unless the birth

occurs under general anaesthetic. Having a trusted birth partner present throughout

labour is known to make a significant difference to the safety and well-being of

women in childbirth.

If the birth partner has symptoms of COVID-19, they will not be allowed to go into the

maternity suite, to safeguard the health of the woman, other women and babies, and

the maternity staff. However, an alternative, well birth partner can attend in their

place.

Children: Coronavirus

Kate Green: [34974]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is

taking to produce a child-friendly guide to the covid-19 outbreak and relevant

governmental actions, including schools closures and social distancing.

Helen Whately:

Public Health England (PHE) has signposted teachers to E-Bug resources that will

help younger children understand how diseases spread at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-

covid-19/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19

PHE will also publish guidance for teachers providing ideas on how emphasise the

importance of handwashing through games, singing and play. This guidance will be

published shortly.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has further resources on COVID-

19, including a child friendly poster which can be viewed at the following link:

https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2020-03/covid-

19_childfriendly_poster_cc_march2020_0.pdf

Coronavirus Bill 2019-21: Speech and Language Disorders


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what impact assessment he

has undertaken on the Coronavirus Bill for people with speech, language and

communication needs.



https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19



https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2020-03/covid-19_childfriendly_poster_cc_march2020_0.pdf





Jo Churchill:

An impact assessment and Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) assessment was

conducted in relation to the provisions contained in the Coronavirus Bill. The PSED

requires public bodies to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination,

advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between different people

when carrying out their activities, including those with protected characteristics. We

will continue to consider the impacts on people with protected characteristics when

considering how to implement policies using powers contained in the Act.

Coronavirus: : Public Health


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has held

discussions with the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on using (a)

television and radio broadcast infrastructure and (b) other methods of communication to

ensure that the document entitled Guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK

and protecting older people and vulnerable adults, published 16 March 2020 and other

future key documents explaining Government guidance on the covid-19 outbreak are

available to people who do not have access to the internet; and if he will make a

statement.

Helen Whately:

[Holding answer 23 March 2020]: On 15 March a new TV advertising campaign was

included in to official efforts to ensure the public is aware of the best way to limit and

delay the spread of COVID-19. As well as TV, the campaign advice is featuring in

newspapers and magazines, on drive-time radio, online and through social media

and on billboards and large digital displays, including at bus stops. Additionally, the

Prime Minister is holding daily televised press conference to update the nation on the

latest measures taken in the fight against COVID-19.

Coronavirus: Alcoholic Drinks

Mr Gregory Campbell: [30689]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what preparations he is making

to tackle the potential increase in domestic alcohol abuse as a result of reduced social

interaction during the covid-19 outbreak.

Jo Churchill:

[Holding answer 23 March 2020]: The Government provides advice on the

importance of drinking in moderation. This can be found through the One You service

and at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-support/the-risks-of-drinking-too-much

The 2016 UK Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines also provide the

public with the most up to date information to help people make informed decisions

about their own drinking.






Local authorities are responsible for assessing local needs and commissioning

alcohol prevention, treatment and harm reduction services to meet these needs. It is

important that these services are maintained during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Guidance to support commissioners and providers of services for people who use

alcohol during the COVID-19 pandemic has been published and is available at the

following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-commissioners-

and-providers-of-services-for-people-who-use-drugs-or-alcohol/covid-19-guidance-

for-commissioners-and-providers-of-services-for-people-who-use-drugs-or-alcohol

Additionally, a Clinical Speciality guide for the management of people with alcohol

dependence during the COVID-19 pandemic was published on 8 April and is

available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/04/C0157-

Specialty-guide_-Alcohol-Dependence-and-coronavirus_8-April.pdf

Guidance to support alcohol-dependent drinkers to reduce their intake in a managed

way will be published shortly.

Coronavirus: Birth Rate


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his

Department has made of the effect of the covid-19 lockdown on the birth rate; and what

steps his Department is taking to ensure that there is adequate provision to respond to a

potential increase in the birth rate as a result of the covid-19 lockdown.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

We do not yet know what impact the COVID-19 lockdown might have on the birth rate

in England.

The National Health Service is making arrangements to ensure that women are

supported and cared for safely through pregnancy, birth and the period afterwards,

during and following this pandemic, when there will be extra pressures on healthcare

services. We expect any changes to the configuration of maternity services to be

temporary.

NHS England and NHS Improvement’s ‘Clinical guide for the temporary

reorganisation of intrapartum maternity care during the coronavirus pandemic’ states

that recovery plans are essential and should bear in mind the regional modelling of

how the virus is likely to spread.

Coronavirus: British Nationals Abroad

Patricia Gibson: [37992]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason UK citizens

returning from overseas are not being quarantined.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-commissioners-and-providers-of-services-for-people-who-use-drugs-or-alcohol/covid-19-guidance-for-commissioners-and-providers-of-services-for-people-who-use-drugs-or-alcohol




https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/04/C0157-Specialty-guide_-Alcohol-Dependence-and-coronavirus_8-April.pdf






Ms Nadine Dorries:

[Holding answer 27 April 2020]: On 12 March 2020 the Prime Minister announced

that the COVID-19 response was moving from the contain to delay phase. This phase

has been initiated as there is now community transmission of the virus in the United

Kingdom, i.e. transmission not directly related to travel; this has made interventions in

ports of less relative importance. With the shift to the delay phase and commensurate

policy changes the Public Health England port health approach has changed to a

‘warn and inform focus’.

Coronavirus: Carers



providing to support working carers who may be without full time work during the Covid-

19 outbreak and who are not entitled to carers allowance.

Helen Whately:

People who have caring responsibilities and are currently unable to work should

speak to their employer who may be able to keep them on the payroll if the business

is unable to operate or have no work for employees to do because of COVID-19. This

is known as being ‘on furlough’ leave. Under this scheme, employees could get paid

80% of their wages up to a monthly cap of £2,500.

If an employee’s salary is reduced as a result of these changes, they may be eligible

for support through the welfare system, including Universal Credit.

Those affected check if they could be covered by the Coronavirus Job Retention

Scheme.

More guidance on what their rights are at work, what benefits they are entitled to and

what further support is available can be found at the following links:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-

about-covid-19/covid-19-guidance-for-employees

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/health/coronavirus-what-it-means-for-you/

https://www.nationaldebtline.org/EW/factsheets/Pages/coronavirus-advice-and-

support/help-and-advice.aspx

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Ellie Reeves: [30123]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to

promote social distancing in response to the outbreak of covid-19.

Helen Whately:

The Government has commissioned a marketing campaign to promote social

distancing, including television adverts, posters and via the use of social media.

The Government has introduced three new measures:


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-guidance-for-employees





https://www.nationaldebtline.org/EW/factsheets/Pages/coronavirus-advice-and-support/help-and-advice.aspx





- Requiring people to stay at home, except for very limited purposes;

- Closing certain businesses and venues; and

- Stopping all gatherings of more than two people in public.

Every person in the United Kingdom must comply with these new measures, which

came into effect on Monday 23 March. The relevant authorities, including the police,

have been given the powers to enforce them – including through fines and dispersing

gatherings.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what further guidance his

Department plans to issue on social distancing to (a) hairdressers, (b) driving instructors

and (c) other professions.

Helen Whately:

The Government issued further guidance on social distancing on 23 March, which

specifically included hairdressers, driving instructors and other professions, and can

be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-

close

The Government will keep all measures and related guidance, under constant review

and update regularly.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reasons the

Government guidance that over-70s are at increased risk of severe illness from covid-19

differs to the World Health Organisation guidance that identifies over-60s as at increased

risk from that disease.

Jo Churchill:

The international data shows that the hospitalisation rate is greatest in the vulnerable,

including those aged 70 and older. Asking this group to be most stringent with social

distancing is important for reducing the pressure on intensive care beds. The United

Kingdom policy in this regard is based on a review of the scientific evidence by the

Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies-

sage-coronavirus-covid-19-response


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timeframe is for

testing people on their discharge from hospital following treatment for covid-19 to ensure

that they are no longer able to transmit covid-19; and if he will make a statement.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

The Government has published guidance on infection control precautions and

discharging of COVID-19 patients which can be found at the following link:


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close




https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies-sage-coronavirus-covid-19-response





https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-stepdown-of-

infection-control-precautions-within-hospitals-and-discharging-covid-19-patients-from-

hospital-to-home-settings/guidance-for-stepdown-of-infection-control-precautions-

and-discharging-covid-19-patients

All patients being discharged to a care home will be tested prior to discharge to

ascertain their COVID-19 status. More information can be found in the COVID-19:

adult social care action plan, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-adult-social-care-

action-plan


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reasons the

coronavirus status checker survey does not collect sex-disaggregated data; and what

comparative assessment he has made of the effect of covid-19 on (a) men and (b)

women and (i) girls and (ii) boys.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

The National Health Service Coronavirus Status checker collects only the minimum

amount of data necessary to predict the likely demand on NHS services. NHSX plan

to iterate the survey and may add gender to this collection, if it would help predict

demand more effectively.

Public Health England (PHE) has established surveillance systems to collect and

analyse data on COVID-19 infection, including age and sex. Addressing inequalities

is a key concern for PHE as is understanding the wider public health implications of

an emergency such as the one we are experiencing.

The number of COVID-19 cases and deaths by age and sex can be viewed on the

National COVID-19 Weekly Summary Report at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-covid-19-surveillance-reports


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what criteria the Government

plans to use to determine when covid-19 lockdown measures can be lifted.

Helen Whately:

[Holding answer 27 April 2020]: The Government has set out five conditions which

needs to be met before it is safe to adjust any measures.

The first is to protect the National Health Service’s ability to cope; second, we need to

see a fall in the death rate; third, we need reliable data from the Scientific Advisory

Group for Emergencies showing that the rate of infection has decreased across all

settings; fourth, we need to be confident that the range of operational challenges are

in hand; and fifth we must be confident that any adjustments to current measures will

not lead to a significant second peak of infections.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-stepdown-of-infection-control-precautions-within-hospitals-and-discharging-covid-19-patients-from-hospital-to-home-settings/guidance-for-stepdown-of-infection-control-precautions-and-discharging-covid-19-patients





https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-adult-social-care-action-plan








When we are confident on these five points, guided by science and data, we will look

to adjust measures to protect public health whilst allowing some economic and social

activity. We will only do this when evidence says that it is safe to do so.

Coronavirus: Ethnic Groups

Christine Jardine: [37834]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people in each

ethnic group have (a) been tested, (b) tested positive and (c) died following a positive test

as a result of covid-19.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

Data on the number of people who have been tested, tested positive, and died from

COVID-19 are not currently available in the format requested.

The latest data on the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths can be viewed at the

following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public

Public Health England is gathering and analysing data to measure the impact of

COVID-19 across different population groups. This includes work to analyse

confirmed cases, hospitalisations and deaths relating to COVID-19 by ethnicity,

where this data is available.

Coronavirus: Hospital Beds


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 21

April 2020 to Question 33582 on Coronavirus: Hospital Beds, what estimate the

Government has made of the cost to the public purse of reimbursing the independent

sector.

Edward Argar:

National Health Service patients are benefitting from an unprecedented partnership

with private hospitals in the United Kingdom as we battle the COVID-19 outbreak.

The NHS is accessing these facilities at cost, with those costs judged by an

independent auditor. Reimbursements to the independent sector will be for

reasonable and narrowly-defined costs only.

It is not possible at this time to provide an estimate of the cost to the public purse of

reimbursing the independent sector.

Coronavirus: Liverpool

Sir George Howarth: [29835]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will place in the Library

any medical and scientific advice he received on (a) the holding the Champions League

fixture at Anfield Stadium on 11 March 2020 and (b) the decision to allow supporters from

Spain to travel to and attend that fixture.







Helen Whately:

At the time of the fixture there were no restrictions on mass gatherings or foreign

travel. The decision to hold this football match was taken by the footballing

authorities.

The Government relies on the advice of the Scientific Advisory Group for

Emergencies for scientific and technical advice during emergencies. This included

advice on mass gatherings. It concluded that the risk to an individual from attending

large events is generally no higher than in smaller events. In most larger events, such

as sports matches, attendees will come into close contact with at most a handful of

people, so the risk to attendees is low.

The advice can be found here;


ent_data/file/873748/12-spi-m-o-consensus-view-on-public-gatherings.pdf

On 16 March, the Prime Minister announced significant changes to the Government’s

approach to social distancing. This included increasing social distancing to help avoid

unnecessary contact between individuals. Advice was issued on mass gatherings on

the same day.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-guidance-for-mass-gatherings

Coronavirus: Medical Equipment

Ben Lake: [37753]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether there are agreements

in place between the UK Government and the Welsh Government to prevent competitive

bidding for medical equipment needed to respond to the covid-19 outbreak.

Edward Argar:

[Holding answer 27 April 2020]: Health is a devolved matter. There is not an

agreement between the UK and Welsh Government to prevent competitive bidding.

The UK Government continues to work well with the devolved administrations. We

have no record of competitive bidding practices taking place with the Welsh

Government.

Coronavirus: Mental Health Services

Dr Lisa Cameron: [R] [37792]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has

commissioned any modelling of potential increased need for psychological interventions

during the covid-19 outbreak; what plans he has to increase the psychological

professions workforce; and if he will make a statement.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/873748/12-spi-m-o-consensus-view-on-public-gatherings.pdf








Ms Nadine Dorries:

Health Education England is currently working with NHS England and NHS

Improvement to model the increased demand for psychological professions both

during and after the COVID-19 outbreak.

The workforce development, education and training of psychological professionals

also remains a Health Education England priority both now and in the future.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what additional mental health

support his Department is providing to (a) children and (b) young people during the covid-

19 outbreak.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

Children and young people’s mental health remains a priority for this Government.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have asked all mental health trusts to ensure

they have 24 hours a day, seven days a week open access telephone lines in place

for urgent National Health Service mental health support, advice and triage for people

of all ages through a single point of access. Mental health providers are also looking

at how they can maximise the use of digital and virtual channels to keep delivering

support to existing and new service users.

Public Health England has also updated resources, such as the Every Mind Matters

platform, and published guidance for parents and carers on supporting children and

young people’s mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coronavirus: Pharmacy


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made

of the availability of over-the-counter paracetamol; if he will take steps to ensure the

availability of (a) paracetamol, (b) other over-the-counter medicines and (c) baby milk

during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.

Jo Churchill:

The country is well prepared to deal with the impacts of COVID-19 and we have

stockpiles of medicines, including paracetamol, in the event of any supply issues or

significant increases in demand.

The Department is also aware of some recent local food stockpiling issues and is in

discussion with industry to ensure a continued supply of infant formula. This dialogue

with the formula industry, including the British Specialist Nutrition Association Ltd, will

remain active and we will continue to monitor the situation.

The Department is working closely with industry, the National Health Service and

others in the supply chain to help ensure patients can access the medicines they

need, and precautions are in place to reduce the likelihood of future shortages.




The steps being taken to protect United Kingdom supplies in response to the COVID-

19 outbreak were set out in the Department’s press statement issued on 11 February

2020. This statement can be read at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-to-monitor-impact-of-coronavirus-

on-uk-medicine-supply

Coronavirus: Protective Clothing

Robert Halfon: [33507]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Department is

taking to make personal protective equipment available to private companies during the

covid-19 outbreak.

Jo Churchill:

[Holding answer 21 April 2020]: Manufacturers have reported constraints on supply

of new stocks of personal protective equipment and some clinical consumables due

to an increase in global demand and the impact of COVID-19 on supply. The

Government is constantly monitoring this and working to secure additional stocks to

further enhance our preparedness. We have central stockpiles of a range of products

and we are prioritising sectors which have a clinical need to receive these supplies.

Coronavirus: Religion

Mike Amesbury: [33745]


taking to provide guidance to religious bodies during the covid-19 outbreak.

Helen Whately:

To make sure people are staying at home and apart from each other, the government

has stopped all public gatherings of more than two people. This includes weddings,

baptisms and other religious ceremonies. However, this excludes funerals in places

of worship and crematoria.

More details can be found at the following links:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-

away-from-others/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others#closing-

certain-businesses-and-venues


ent_data/file/875304/240320_Revised_Guidance.pdf

While the government recognises the importance of rituals and gatherings, it is

advised that the actions detailed in their “guidance for communities managing a

death” are taken to reduce the spread of infection. More information can be found at

the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-care-of-the-

deceased/guidance-for-care-of-the-deceased-with-suspected-or-confirmed-

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-to-monitor-impact-of-coronavirus-on-uk-medicine-supply





https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others#closing-certain-businesses-and-venues




https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/875304/240320_Revised_Guidance.pdf



https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-care-of-the-deceased/guidance-for-care-of-the-deceased-with-suspected-or-confirmed-coronavirus-covid-19#guidance-for-professionals-who-manage-bodies-including-mortuary-staff-pathologists-and-funeral-directors




coronavirus-covid-19#guidance-for-professionals-who-manage-bodies-including-

mortuary-staff-pathologists-and-funeral-directors

Coronavirus: Screening

Geraint Davies: [37383]


Department has made of the effectiveness of the covid-19 antibody testing kits.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

The Government is currently evaluating antibody tests at pace, through a special

process at Oxford University, overseen by several of the leading scientists in the field.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has also published a

‘Target Product Profile’ for serology tests, outlining expected test performance.

The results from the first evaluation of antibody tests have shown that, of the tests the

Government has looked at so far, none have proven accurate enough to be rolled out

for clinical use. Further information on the methodology and results of the evaluation

process has been published in a paper (which has been submitted to the Lancet for

acceptance and review), which can be found at the following link:

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.15.20066407v1

As new tests become available, we will continue to review them through the process

outlined above, at pace.

Coronavirus: Sickle Cell Diseases

Dawn Butler: [29964]


of the effect of covid-19 on people with sickle cell disease.

Dawn Butler: [29965]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an

assessment of the effect of covid-19 on people with sickle cell trait; and if he will make a

statement.

Helen Whately:

[Holding answer 19 March 2020]: Those with sickle cell disease have been identified

as being at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and we are strongly

advising them to rigorously follow shielding measures in order to keep themselves

safe.

Shielding is a measure to protect people who are clinically extremely vulnerable by

minimising all social interaction with others. Those who are extremely vulnerable are

strongly advised to stay at home at all times and avoid any face-to-face contact for at

least 12 weeks. Please note that this period of time could change.









NHS England will be in direct contact with those who are at very high risk of severe

illness from coronavirus to provide further advice. More information on shielding is


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-

extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-

extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19#how-do-these-measures-differ-from-

the-social-distancing-guidance-for-vulnerable-people-issued

Coronavirus: Social Services

Jim McMahon: [30790]


of the ability of the social care system in England to continue to provide care during the

outbreak of covid-19, and if he will place a copy of that assessment in the House of

Commons Library.

Helen Whately:

[Holding answer 23 March 2020]: The Department of Health and Social Care is

working closely with the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government,

local authorities and providers themselves to make sure the adult social care sector

has the support it needs to plan for and respond to COVID-19.

New guidance for the adult social care sector is now available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-residential-care-supported-

living-and-home-care-guidance

We have created a senior leaders’ group to oversee the adult social care response to

COVID-19. This group is supported by our national partners, including the

Association of Directors of Adult Social Care, the Local Government Association,

NHS England, Public Health England, the Care Quality Commission and adult social

care provider representatives.

In addition, we are providing £2.9 billion of funding to protect and support the most

vulnerable in society. The funding package will support hospitals, councils and adult

social care providers to help cope with COVID-19.

Coronavirus: Speech and Language Disorders



ensure that information about infection prevention, covid-19 symptoms and treatment and

care is accessible to those who have speech, language and communication needs.

Jo Churchill:

Members of the public will see advice in television adverts featuring the Chief Medical

Officer as part of the Government’s drive to ensure everyone knows the best way to

limit and delay the spread of the COVID-19.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19#how-do-these-measures-differ-from-the-social-distancing-guidance-for-vulnerable-people-issued






https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-residential-care-supported-living-and-home-care-guidance





As well as on television, people will see and hear the campaign advice in newspapers

and magazines, on drive-time radio, online and through social media and on

billboards and large digital displays, including at bus stops. Further information is


https://www.gov.uk/government/news/next-stage-of-expanded-coronavirus-covid-19-

public-information-campaign-launches

The Government has also produced resources in Braille and British Sign Language.

These resources are available via Public Health England’s Campaign Resource

Centre at the following link:

https://campaignresources.phe.gov.uk/resources/campaigns/101-coronavirus-

/resources

Coronavirus: Surveys


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason the sex of

participants is not collected by the NHS survey hosted at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus-status-

checker/.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

The National Health Service Coronavirus Status checker collects only the minimum

amount of data necessary to predict the likely demand on NHS services. NHSX plans

to iterate the survey and may add gender to this collection, if it would help predict

demand more effectively.

Coronavirus: Testing

Kenny MacAskill: [37920]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is

taking to minimise the use of animals in the creation of diagnostic antibody tests for

covid-19.

Kenny MacAskill: [37921]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which species of animals are

being used in the creation of tests for covid-19; and for what reasons.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

The Government is backing efforts to develop a homegrown antibody test. A

business consortium, UK Rapid Test Consortium (UK-RTC), including Oxford

University, Abingdon Health, BBI Solutions and CIGA Healthcare has launched, in

order to design and develop a new antibody test to determine whether people have

had the virus. The development of this test will not involve testing on animals.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/next-stage-of-expanded-coronavirus-covid-19-public-information-campaign-launches



https://campaignresources.phe.gov.uk/resources/campaigns/101-coronavirus-/resources







Coronavirus: Vaccination


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his

Department is having with other countries to accelerate the development of a covid-19

vaccine.

Jo Churchill:

The United Kingdom, through the Department of Health and Social Care and the

Department for International Development, has committed £250 million in total to the

Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) who are key in coordinating

international efforts towards developing a COVID-19 vaccine, alongside CEPI’s

existing epidemic research portfolio.

For COVID-19 research, CEPI are working to improve our understanding of the virus

and to develop vaccines, including eight potential vaccine candidates. This includes

one project at the University of Oxford. The aim is to advance COVID-19 vaccine

candidates into clinical testing as quickly as possible.

Justin Madders: [33607]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to

manufacture a covid-19 vaccine in the UK once it becomes available.

Jo Churchill:

The development of a COVID-19 vaccine is in its early stages but is progressing

rapidly. The Government is working alongside industry to ensure the United Kingdom

has the manufacturing capability to produce sufficient vaccines to meet UK needs.

Coronavirus: Young People

Dr Lisa Cameron: [37793]


of the implications for his policies of the findings of the survey of young people with a

history of mental health published by YoungMinds on 30 March 2020; and what steps the

Government is taking to help ensure provision of support to young people (a) in self-

isolation and (b) socially distancing during the covid-19 outbreak..

Ms Nadine Dorries:

Children and young people’s mental health remains a priority for this Government.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have asked all mental health trusts to ensure

they have 24 hours a day, seven days a week open access telephone lines in place

for urgent National Health Service mental health support, advice and triage for people

of all ages through a single point of access. Mental health providers are also looking

at how they can maximise the use of digital and virtual channels to keep delivering

support to existing and new service users.





Public Health England has also updated resources, such as the Every Mind Matters

platform, and published guidance for parents and carers on supporting children and

young people’s mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health Services: Coronavirus

Tim Loughton: [38866]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to provide

support to (a) health visiting, (b) children’s services, (c) CAMHS and (d) perinatal mental

health services for the potential increase in demand for services as a result of (i) missed

appointments, (ii) the development of additional needs, (iii) the potential increase in births

as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

[Holding answer 27 April 2020]: On 18 April, the Government announced a further

£1.6 billion to be made available to provide essential services and support to those

who need it most.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have been working with local government to

modify and prioritise community health services. This has been compiled in line with

clinical advice, with community health services prioritising service delivery so that the

most urgent needs continue to be met. Health visiting services are continuing to

deliver the healthy child programme predominantly via virtual methods, with health

visitors encouraged to identify children that require a home visit.

Mental health services are working around the clock to support people with mental

health issues through the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Providers are seeking to

maximise the use of digital and virtual channels to keep supporting existing and new

service users.

Health Services: Pregnancy



taking to support pregnant health care workers during the covid-19 pandemic.

Helen Whately:

Guidance updated on 21 April 2020 from the Royal College of Obstetricians and

Gynaecologists emphasises that pregnant women of any gestation should be offered

the choice of whether to work in direct patient-facing roles during the COVID-19

pandemic.

Health care workers who are less than 28 weeks pregnant should practise social

distancing but can choose to continue working in a patient-facing role, provided the

necessary precautions are taken.

Women who are more than 28 weeks pregnant, or have underlying health conditions,

should avoid direct patient contact and it is recommended that they stay at home.




If it is found that an employee or the pregnancy would be at risk were the employee

to continue with their normal duties, the employer should provide suitable alternative

work for which the employee will receive their normal rate of pay. Where it is not

reasonably practicable to offer suitable alternative work, the employee should be

suspended on full pay.

Health Services: Protective Clothing

Fleur Anderson: [33756]


taking to increase the supply of personal protective equipment to (a) primary care

facilities and (b) GP staff.

Jo Churchill:

[Holding answer 21 April 2020]: As of 14 April, since the start of the COVID-19

outbreak we have delivered over 923 million pieces of personal protective equipment

(PPE) to 58,000 different health and care settings including National Health Service

trusts, general practitioners, pharmacies and community providers. We have provided

PPE equipment to over 26,000 care homes including home care and hospices across

the country. Over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, over 48 million PPE items have

been delivered.

We are working around the clock to give the NHS and the wider social care sector the

equipment and support they need to tackle this outbreak. We have brought together

the NHS, industry and the Armed Forces to create a new nationwide PPE distribution

network, delivering critical PPE supplies to those who need it.

We have a 24 hours a day, seven days a week helpline for those experiencing supply

disruption with business as usual ordering channels. Where there may be any

shortages, we act on this immediately. Local Resilience Forums are also supporting

care homes, hospices, home care and primary care in getting hold of PPE

equipment.

Hospital Beds: Private Sector

Gavin Robinson: [38931]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the covid-19

outbreak how many private healthcare hospital beds the NHS has requisitioned; how

many of those beds have been used; and what the cost of that requisitioning has been to

date.

Edward Argar:

[Holding answer 27 April 2020]: The Department and NHS England and NHS

Improvement have worked with the independent sector to increase capacity and

resource within the National Health Service, adding around 8,000 beds and 20,000

clinical staff. This will ensure that more facilities are available for patients diagnosed

with COVID-19.

Under the agreement, the independent sector will be reimbursed at cost.




Hospitals: Parking

Dan Jarvis: [33547]


ensure NHS staff are exempt from hospital car parking charges.

Helen Whately:

Officials are working closely with the National Health Service and the independent

sector to ensure that all NHS staff are exempt from hospital car parking charges

during the COVID – 19 pandemic.

On 25 March Health the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced

that hospitals will provide free car parking for our NHS staff who are going above and

beyond every day in hospitals across England. On the same day, the Secretary of

State for Housing, Communities and Local Government announced that local

councils will offer free on-street and off-street car parking in local authority car parks

to all NHS staff members, health or social care workers, and NHS Volunteer

Responders during the COVID-19 emergency response.

When the pandemic begins to abate, the NHS will move from providing free parking

to all its staff, to the Government’s commitment to offering free hospital car parking to

key patient groups and NHS staff in certain circumstances. Our plans include:

free parking for certain groups of people, following the Government’s commitment

that disabled people, frequent outpatient attenders, parents of sick children staying

overnight and staff working night shifts will no longer have to pay; and consideration

of parking capacity across the country and how improved technology can reduce the

administrative burden on hospitals.

Hygiene: Public Places

Munira Wilson: [25194]


Department has made of the effect of the use of hand sanitising products on reducing the

spread of viruses and diseases; and what assessment the Government has made of the

potential merits of increasing the provision of hand sanitiser in (a) the London

Underground, (b) airports, (c) train stations, (d) stadiums and (e) schools.

Jo Churchill:

[Holding answer 9 March 2020]: Public Health England (PHE) recommends washing

your hands more often than usual, for 20 seconds, with soap and water and using

hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available. This will help prevent people

from catching and spreading COVID-19.

Sector specific guidance includes advice on what organisations can do to reduce the

spread of COVID-19 for example the use of announcements in transport hubs to

reinforce key messages and supervising handwashing in young children in schools.

Our public health advice is published on gov.uk. Guidance for the transport sector

and educational settings can be viewed at the following links:




https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-staff-in-the-

transport-sector/covid-19-guidance-for-staff-in-the-transport-sector

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-

covid-19/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19

The Government is communicating and working collaboratively across all

departments and the provision of hand sanitiser is the responsibility of each

establishment.

Medical Equipment: Imports

Adam Holloway: [38434]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will allocate funding to

reimburse medical companies that import medical equipment necessary for the treatment

by the NHS of patients with covid-19 for the increased costs of shipping that equipment

from North America, Europe and Asia to the UK to meet the needs of the NHS.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if the Government will (a)

reimburse companies' increased air freight costs and (b) vary NHS (i) tenders and (ii)

framework to cover the uplift in transport costs for products supplied to the NHS for the

treatment of covid-19 patients.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has taken steps to

reduce the increase in fees charged by airfreight carriers to medical companies that

supply equipment for the NHS to treat covid-19 patients.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an

assessment of the effect of increased air freight fees on the operation of medical

companies importing goods at fixed product prices.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has

had discussions with the Department for Transport on increasing the number of air freight

transport routes in operation to minimise delays to the import of medical supplies.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government is

working with air freight companies to prioritise the supply of medical equipment for the

treatment of covid-19 patients at an appropriate cost.

Edward Argar:

[Holding answer 27 April 2020]: The Government has announced a range of

measures to assist industry and companies are able to draw on this unprecedented

package of economic measures. These measures have been designed to ensure that

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-staff-in-the-transport-sector/covid-19-guidance-for-staff-in-the-transport-sector













companies of any size, including airports, airlines and the wider supply chain, receive

the help they need to get through this difficult time.

The Government recognises that air freight plays an important role in supply chains

and the importance that essential goods can continue to be brought into and out of

the United Kingdom without disruption. COVID-19 presents unique risks to the

movement of goods.

Because of this, the Department for Transport is working with different sectors to help

ensure that essential goods can continue to be transported into the UK. This includes

working closely with the aviation sector to support it to ensure there is sufficient

capacity to protect global travel routes, continue freight and maintain vital

connectivity.

The Department of Health and Social Care is working closely with the Department for

Transport, other Government Departments and industry to feed into this ongoing

work as well as monitor the impact of COVID-19 on medical supply chains and

manage identified risks. For example, the Department of Health and Social Care has

mobilised an Express Freight Service to support the continuity of supply of medicines

and medical products and ensure the continued prioritisation of critical products.

This is complemented by the current work of the Civil Aviation Authority and the

Competition and Markets Authority. The Civil Aviation Authority oversees and

regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the United Kingdom and is engaging airlines

and airports to provide flexibility within the regulatory framework to help manage and

mitigate COVID-19 impacts where appropriate. The Competition and Markets

Authority, which has launched a COVID-19 pandemic taskforce to identify harmful

pricing practices is advising the Government on the means of ensuring markets

operate as well as possible.

Motor Neurone Disease: Coronavirus

Dan Jarvis: [37662]


include patients with motor neurone disease as people that are defined on medical

grounds as extremely vulnerable from covid-19.

Helen Whately:

[Holding answer 27 April 2020]: Individuals who have been identified as clinically

extremely vulnerable have been advised to shield to protect themselves. Six

categories of clinical conditions were used to identify individuals who are extremely

vulnerable due to complex health problems. It was determined that people with motor

neurone disease (MND) would not be included in this list, as there are many stages

to the disease, with varying levels of severity. This is under constant clinical review.

General practitioners (GPs) and hospital clinicians have the discretion to add

individual patients to the list based on case-by-case clinical assessments of each

individual’s needs. GPs and hospital specialists have completed initial reviews of their

patient lists and are continuing to identify patients as their clinical conditions change.



Anyone with MND who is concerned that that the severity of their symptoms means

they may be clinically extremely vulnerable, should contact their GP to discuss.

NHS: Contracts

Chris Green: [33591]


of the role of Dispensing Appliance Contractors in the provision of key (a) products and

(b) services to the NHS during the covid-19 pandemic; and what support his Department

plans to provide intends to provide to ensure the provision of those contractors' services.

Jo Churchill:

There are no known supply issues linked to COVID-19 for appliances routinely

dispensed by Dispensing Appliance Contractors like wound dressings, stoma and

incontinence appliances. We are working with the supply chain to ensure Dispensing

Appliance Contractors can source these products and maintain supply to patients.

Dispensing Appliance Contractors like any other primary care providers should follow

Public Health England’s guidance on COVID-19.

NHS: Disclosure of Information

Ms Lyn Brown: [37544]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has received

reports of (a) NHS Trusts and (b) other NHS bodies putting in place new restrictions on

their staff speaking in public or to journalists about their concerns on the situation within

their workplace since the outbreak of covid-19; and if he will make a statement

Ms Lyn Brown: [37545]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment

of the effect on (a) NHS staff safety, (b) patient safety and (c) public trust of reports of

restrictions by NHS bodies on staff members who wish to speak in public or to journalists

about their concerns on the situation within their workplace during the covid-19 outbreak.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

The Government supports the right of staff working in the National Health Service to

speak up and raise concerns. Speaking up is vital for ensuring patient safety and

improving the quality of services and should be a routine part of business in the NHS.

The Government has proactively encouraged NHS staff to raise concerns over recent

years, and provided support by establishing an independent National Guardian to

help drive positive cultural change across the NHS so that speaking up becomes

business as usual.

NHS staff remain free to speak in a personal capacity about their work.





NHS: Equality


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department

has made of the number of diversity and inclusion managers employed in the NHS.

Helen Whately:

The Department does not hold the data requested.

NHS: Protective Clothing

Peter Kyle: [33721]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much personal protective

equipment the NHS (a) has and (b) plans on purchasing.

Jo Churchill:




trusts, general practitioners, pharmacies, care homes and community providers.

The Government’s PPE plan was published on 10 April and can be found at the

following link:


ent_data/file/879221/Coronavirus__COVID-19__-

_personal_protective_equipment__PPE__plan.pdf

As Strand 3 details, we have set up a cross-Government PPE sourcing unit to secure

new supply lines from across the world and a call to industry has been issued to

companies at home to manufacture and supply additional PPE at scale.

Postnatal Care



ensure that women receive the same level of postnatal support during the covid-19

outbreak as they received before.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

The National Health Service is making arrangements to ensure that women are

supported and cared for safely through pregnancy, birth and the period afterwards

during this pandemic when there will be extra pressures on healthcare services.

Community health services should continue to provide support during the current

pandemic with greater use of digital and remote technologies prioritising higher needs

families. Antenatal contact and new baby visits should continue, with other help

assessed and stratified for vulnerable or clinical need.

Mental health providers are also looking at how they can maximise the use of digital

and virtual channels to keep delivering support to existing and new service users.



https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/879221/Coronavirus__COVID-19__-_personal_protective_equipment__PPE__plan.pdf






Protective Clothing

Fleur Anderson: [32168]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether personal protective

equipment will be provided to (a) police officers (b) front line workers in pharmacies and

(c) front line workers in community organisations.

Jo Churchill:

[Holding answer 24 March 2020]: The Government published ‘Coronavirus (COVID-

19): personal protective equipment (PPE) plan’ on 10 April. It incorporates guidance

on who needs PPE and when they need it, routes to ensure those who need it can

get it at the right time and sets out actions to secure enough PPE to last through the

crisis.

The PPE stock in Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) should be distributed only where

there is a clear and pressing need and in line with the latest clinical guidance. This is

intended to support LRFs who have been advised to prioritise local distribution to

those that have close unavoidable contact with confirmed or suspected COVID-19

cases including highly vulnerable groups. This may include services such as police,

community pharmacies and some other vital community services, only where they

are unable to obtain PPE through their usual supply routes for PPE and there

remains an urgent need for additional stock.

PPE is not required when frontline workers can remain more than two metres away

from anyone showing signs of COVID-19. Local services should make every effort to

redesign services to minimise the number of frontline workers in close contact with

symptomatic people, both to protect those workers and to minimise demand for PPE.

The plan can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-personal-

protective-equipment-ppe-plan

Protective Clothing: Cumbria

Tim Farron: [34938]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) type and (b) amount of

personal protective equipment will be delivered to each (i) hospital, (ii) GP surgery and

(iii) care home in Cumbria; and when those deliveries will take place.

Jo Churchill:




trusts, general practitioners, pharmacies and community providers. This includes:

- 173 million masks;

- 163 million aprons;

- 1.3 million gowns; and


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-personal-protective-equipment-ppe-plan





- 440 million pairs of gloves.

We have provided PPE equipment to over 26,000 care homes including home care

and hospices across the country. Over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, over 48

million PPE items have been delivered.

We are working around the clock to give the NHS and the wider social care sector the

equipment and support they need to tackle this outbreak. We have brought together

the NHS, industry and the armed forces to create a new nationwide PPE distribution

network, delivering critical PPE supplies to those who need it.

We have a 24 hours a day, seven days a week helpline for those experiencing supply

disruption with business as usual ordering channels. Where there may be any

shortages, we act on this immediately. Local Resilience Forums are also supporting

care homes, hospices, home care and primary care in getting hold of PPE

equipment.

Protective Clothing: Manufacturing Industries



encourage industries to switch production to personal protection equipment for (a) the

NHS and (b) social care providers.

Jo Churchill:

The Government’s personal protection equipment (PPE) plan was published on 10

April and can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-personal-

protective-equipment-ppe-plan

As Strand 3 details, we have set up a cross-Government PPE sourcing unit to secure

new supply lines from across the world and a call to industry has been issued to

companies at home to manufacture and supply additional PPE at scale.

There has been limited United Kingdom manufacture of PPE to date and so new

supply channels for materials to make PPE have been sourced at pace in order to

enable new manufacturing to commence.

Psychiatry: Coronavirus



ensure that people have (a) telephone and (b) digital access to psychological therapies

during the covid-19 outbreak; and what steps he is taking to ensure that access to those

therapies is (i) safe and (ii) confidential.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

NHS England has asked all mental health trusts to review advice lines to ensure that

24 hours a day, seven days a week advice is available to people of all ages through a







single point of access. Mental health providers are also looking at how they can

maximise the use of digital and virtual channels to keep delivering support to existing

and new service users.

NHSX has published guidance to support the use of digital and virtual channels,

including off-the-shelf applications such as Skype and WhatsApp, and designed-for

purpose commercial products. This advice is endorsed by the Information

Commissioner’s Office, the National Data Guardian and NHS Digital.

Psychology: Training



ensuring that the (a) education and (b) training of psychological professionals continues

during the covid-19 outbreak to meet the (i) ambitions of the Long- Term Plan and (ii)

potential additional psychological needs caused by that pandemic.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

The education and training of psychological professionals in England remains a

Health Education England (HEE) priority during the COVID-19 outbreak. Regulatory

bodies representing professions in the psychological workforce have recently issued

statements on how training and education will be managed during this outbreak.

It is too early to make a full evaluation of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has on

any additional psychological needs for the population, but the Government will

continue to keep this under review. HEE and NHS Improvement are working with

professional bodies to ensure staff training continues during COVID-19 such as

moving studies on line to ensure we continue to have the pipeline of staff we need to

support patients and to accommodate increased demand.

Education and training in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales is a matter for each

of the devolved administrations.

Social Services: Disability

Neil Coyle: [33578]


taking to ensure that social care and support being provided to disabled people in their

own homes by local authorities is sustained throughout the covid-19 outbreak.

Helen Whately:

The Government has announced £1.6 billion of additional funding to support local

authorities to respond the COVID-19 pandemic across all service areas.

The Department is working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and

Local Government, local authorities and providers to make sure the adult social care

sector is ready, and that commissioners and providers work together to maintain

services.

New guidance is now available at the following link:




https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-residential-care-supported-

living-and-home-care-guidance

This covers provision of residential care, supported living and home care.

Travel Restrictions: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what restrictions she plans to

place on a person’s (a) movements or travel, (b) activities and (c) contact with others

after assessment for covid-19.

Helen Whately:

On Monday 23 March, new COVID-19 measures came into effect in the United

Kingdom. These measures have reduced day-to-day contact with other people in

order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The new measures include the following:

- Requiring people to stay at home, except for very limited purposes;

- Closing of certain businesses and venues; and

- Stopping of all gatherings of more than two people in public.

Individuals suspected of having COVID-19, who live alone, are required to stay at

home for seven days from when the symptoms began. After the seven day period, if

the individual no longer has a high temperature, they do not need to continue to self-

isolate. Every citizen is instructed to comply with these all of new measures.

Further information can be found online at the following links:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-

away-from-others/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-

home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

HOME OFFICE

Asylum: Applications


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has

had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on using the medical

experience and qualifications of people who are waiting for a decision on their asylum

application during the covid-19 outbreak; and if she will make a statement.

Chris Philp:

Asylum seekers with medical experience and qualifications, who have been waiting

for a decision on their claim for 12 months or more, can already apply to work for the

NHS in the range of medical professions on the Shortage Occupation List.





https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others



https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection





Bail


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her timescale is for

decision making following the consultation on proposed changes to pre-charge bail

published on 5 February 2020.

Kit Malthouse:

On the 5 February the Government launched a consultation on proposals to reform

the use of pre-charge bail to protect victims and ensure the police are supported to

investigate crimes. The consultation closes on 29 April.

The Government will respond to the consultation and set out next steps in due

course.

Detention Centres: Hygiene

Liz Saville Roberts: [38617]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department (a)

has taken and (b) will take to ensure adequate supplies of soap and hand sanitizer at

immigration removal centres.

Chris Philp:

The safety and health of people in the detention estate is of the utmost importance.

We are following all Public Health England guidance on COVID-19 and have robust

contingency plans in place, including measures such as protective isolation.

Basic hygiene is a key part of tackling COVID-19. Handwashing facilities are

available in all immigration removal centres and we are working closely with suppliers

to ensure we have an adequate supply of soap and cleaning materials. In addition,

each centre has posters and leaflets to inform staff and detainees about the

importance of handwashing and social distancing to minimise the risk from COVID-

19. Detainees are also able to speak to staff directly for advice on the protective

measures in place.

Domestic Abuse: Victim Support Schemes

Jess Phillips: [34995]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is

taking to help victims of domestic abuse with No Recourse to Public Funds access

domestic abuse services during the covid-19 outbreak.

Kevin Foster:

This Government is committed to ensuring victims of domestic abuse are treated first

and foremost as victims.

Non-British victims residing in the UK are able to apply for support from local

authorities regardless of their immigration status.





Drugs: Misuse

Royston Smith: [34374]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) opiate, (b)

cannabis and (c) cocaine users there were in England in 2018-19.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department

has made of the total cost to the NHS of illegal drug use in 2018-19.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her Department holds

on what the main source countries were of illegal (a) opiates, (b) cannabis and (c)

cocaine smuggled into the UK in 2018-19.

Kit Malthouse:

Information relating to the number of illicit drug users, the economic and social costs

of illicit drugs and source countries for drug production is provided in the Dame Carol

Black Independent Review of Drugs evidence pack on pages 17, 30, 33 and 41,

published on 27 February 2020.

Foreign Nationals: Coronavirus

Claire Hanna: [37868]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support her Department is

providing to foreign nationals who plan to remain in the UK long-term but are unable to

extend their visa due to (a) financial difficulties and (b) not being able to access legal

advice during the covid-19 outbreak.

Chris Philp:

We are taking compassionate and pragmatic measures to ensure appropriate support

is available to individuals affected by and as a result of Covid-19.

Those looking to stay in the UK long-term can apply from the UK online to switch to a

long-term UK visa until 31 May. The terms of individuals’ existing leave will remain

the same until applications are decided. Further Guidance is available on Gov.uk.

Many existing measures also provide relevant support, for instance those eligible to

apply for leave to remain or further leave to remain on a specified human rights route

are also eligible to apply for a fee waiver.

A coronavirus immigration mailbox [email protected] has also been set up and

there is a freephone number 0800 678 1767 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) for

those who wish to discuss their individual circumstances.c






General Register Office: Marriage Certificates

Caroline Nokes: [37618]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff in the General

Register Office are working on the digitalisation of marriage certificates.

Kevin Foster:

Work on the secondary legislation, IT systems and administrative processes that are

required to enable the electronic registration of marriages is being undertaken by 15

people, alongside their other duties at the General Register Office.

Hate Crime: China


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion

of racially-motivated hate crimes recorded by the police in each week of 2020 to date

were against people of Chinese ethnicity.

Kit Malthouse:

The Home Office collects and publishes statistics annually on the number of racially

motivated hate crime offences recorded by the police in England and Wales.

Information is not routinely collected on the ethnicity of victims.

The latest ‘Hate Crime, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hate-crime-england-and-wales-2018-to-

2019

Immigrants: Detainees

Alison Thewliss: [37979]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the timetable is for the

publication of the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration's Adults at

Risk in Detention report.

Chris Philp:

The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration’s report into Adults at

Risk in Immigration Detention will be published as soon as possible.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have entered

detention under immigration legislation since 23 March 2020.

Chris Philp:

The Home Office publishes data on people entering detention in the ‘Immigration

Statistics Quarterly Release’.

Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the

workbook. The latest data relates to the year ending December 2019. Additionally,



https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hate-crime-england-and-wales-2018-to-2019






the Home Office publishes a high-level overview of the data in the 'summary tables'.

The ‘contents’ sheet contains an overview of all available data on detention.

Figures covering the first quarter of 2020 will be released on 21 st May 2020.

Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘

Research and statistics calendar ’.

Immigration: Coronavirus

Sir John Hayes: [34906]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to introduce a

cap on the number of migrants permitted to enter the UK during the covid-19 outbreak.

Sir John Hayes: [34913]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken

to prevent incoming travellers entering the UK from other countries experiencing covid-19

outbreaks.

Kevin Foster:

Our approach to tackling COVID-19 has been driven by the latest scientific and

medical advice, with flows of passengers reduced significantly by travel restrictions in

the UK and overseas.

Any decisions in relation to the UK border and Covid-19 will be taken on the basis of

scientific and medical advice. We need to keep our approach at the border, and all

our measures, under active review but we will not hesitate to impose whatever

restrictions in our power as are necessary.

On 17 March 2020, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advised against all non-

essential international travel, and the Government also introduced unprecedented

measures to manage and contain the spread of the virus. These measures include

social distancing and self-isolation.

Migrant Workers: Visas

Helen Hayes: [38516]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has

to ensure that non-British nationals working in the (a) NHS and (b) social care sector to

tackle the covid-19 outbreak are supported in extending their visas (i) during and (ii) after

the outbreak.

Kevin Foster:

The Government has announced, for NHS doctors, nurses and paramedics, whose

visa will expire before 1 October, we will extend their visa for 12 months. This offer

also applies to their families. The extension is automatic and free of charge and those

benefitting will not have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge.

We keep all of our policies under review and are continuing to consider how we can

best support the health and social care sector.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-statistics-data-tables-year-ending-september-2019#returns

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-statistics-data-tables-year-ending-september-2019#returns

https://www.gov.uk/search/research-and-statistics?content_store_document_type=upcoming_statistics&organisations%5B%5D=home-office&order=release-date-oldest

https://www.gov.uk/search/research-and-statistics?content_store_document_type=upcoming_statistics&organisations%5B%5D=home-office&order=release-date-oldest





Offences against Children: Internet

Alex Norris: [35044]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her

Department has made of the risk of an increase in online child sexual abuse during the

covid-19 outbreak when people are required to stay at home.

Alex Norris: [35045]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is

taking to (a) tackle a potential increased risk of online child sexual abuse and (b) protect

vulnerable children due to increased home working during the covid-19 outbreak.

Victoria Atkins:

COVID-19 represents the most serious threat to public health in a generation.

We are working at pace to understand the impact of COVID-19 on child sexual

abuse, gathering input from law enforcement, safeguarding leads, charities,

international partners and wider colleagues. Based on early reporting from law

enforcement partners and expert opinion, our initial assessment suggests the risk of

online abuse is likely to increase. We will continue to strengthen this assessment

through regular situational updates and measuring the threat over a longer period, to

ensure we can deliver the most effective response and that it reflects the risk across

the whole system.

In response, we are working across Government and with frontline partners to identify

and respond to common challenges impacting vulnerable children across different

crime threats, including coordinating messaging and support to frontline services.

Our law enforcement partners continue to address child sexual abuse offending, and

are already driving preventative messaging to children, young people and their

parents/carers through the NCA’s Thinkuknow network, and charitable partners are

sending preventative messaging for offenders. We are also working with these

partners to sustain and optimise their response to mitigate the risk.

Visas: Foreign Nationals

Peter Kyle: [38511]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will allow the extension of

visas for foreign nationals who are unable to re-enter the country before their visa

expiration date due to global travel restrictions.

Kevin Foster:

The Home Office has put in place a range of measures to support those affected by

the covid-19 outbreak. We continue to monitor the situation closely and take these

exceptional circumstances into account.

These are unprecedented times and we may make further adjustments to

requirements where necessary and appropriate, to ensure people are not unduly

affected by circumstances beyond their control.







those who wish to discuss their individual circumstances.

Visas: India


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support she is giving to

Indian nationals in the UK with visas due to expire soon but who cannot leave the UK due

to international travel restrictions as result of the covid-19 pandemic.

Kevin Foster:

Indian nationals whose visas expired after the 24 January and who cannot leave the

country because of travel restrictions or self-isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic

will be able to extend their visa.

A dedicated COVID-19 immigration team has been set up within UKVI to make the

process as straightforward as possible. Anyone in this situation just needs to contact

this team via email at [email protected] or by calling 0800 678 1767 (Monday

to Friday, 9am to 5pm), to let them know their visa has expired and they will be

issued with an extension.

This will last until 31 May 2020 but will be kept under regular review in case further

extensions are needed.

Visas: Married People

Peter Kyle: [38501]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will extend spousals visas

where one spouse is unable to re-enter the country before their visa expiration date due

to global travel restrictions.

Kevin Foster:

The Home Office has put in place a range of measures to support those affected by

the covid-19 outbreak. We continue to monitor the situation closely and take these

exceptional circumstances into account.

These are unprecedented times and we may make further adjustments to

requirements where necessary and appropriate, to ensure people are not unduly

affected by circumstances beyond their control.



those who wish to discuss their individual circumstances.

Voluntary Work: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what documentation volunteers

who are assisting people who are self-isolating are required to carry in order to


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]




demonstrate to the police and other authorities that they are conducting necessary

actions in their community.

Kit Malthouse:

Volunteers are not required to carry any documentation.

We expect people to abide by these new restrictions in order to protect lives and save

the NHS. The police will be given the powers to enforce these measures using their

judgment on when it is appropriate to enforce them. We have not introduced

documentation but we are keeping the situation under review and the Home

Secretary has indicated that the government will take further steps if necessary.

HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

[Subject Heading to be Assigned]

Dr James Davies: [901981]

What steps his Department is taking to support Local Resilience Forums in managing

local responses to the covid-19 outbreak.

Christopher Pincher:

All Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) have a dedicated Government Liaison Officer

from MHCLG, who provides a direct line of contact into central government. LRFs are

further supported by senior MHCLG leaders and experts in local engagement and

response. Ministers talk to LRF leads regularly to discuss issues and how we can

better support them.

MHCLG have also supported the embedding of four highly experienced military

planners into each LRF, who are providing on-the-ground support. I would like to take

this opportunity to particularly thank the North Wales Local Resilience Forum, and, as

I know my Honourable Friend is a medical practitioner himself, the whole NHS for

their tireless and determined work at this most difficult time.


What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of joint working between councils in

two-tier local authority areas.

Luke Hall:

In a two-tier area, effective joint working between county and district councils is

essential, especially at this time of national emergency.

However, the Government recognises that unitary councils can facilitate more

integrated decision-making, better service delivery, greater local accountability and

empowered local communities.

Tom Hunt: [901984]

What steps his Department is taking to help renters affected by the covid-19 outbreak.






This Government has put in place an unprecedented package to support renters

during this time. Legislation to increase eviction notice periods, coupled with the

Court Service’s suspension of proceedings, mean no renter currently faces the threat

of eviction.

We have strengthened the welfare safety-net to help households experiencing

financial hardship.

Dame Cheryl Gillan: [901986]

What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect of the delay to local

elections in Buckinghamshire on regional democratic representation.

Luke Hall:

The Government has announced the postponement of the 2020 local elections

across the country, including in Buckinghamshire. The elections will be held next year

and in the meantime the council will continue to serve the interests of its electors.

Business Improvement Districts: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether

he plans to grant Business Improvement Districts' levy payers 100 percent levy relief

during the covid-19 outbreak.

Mr Simon Clarke:

The Government is committed to supporting Business Improvement Districts (BIDs)

and recognises the important role they play in allowing local businesses to work

together to shape and improve their high streets and towns, and that they will be

even more important in the recovery phase from the current crisis.

Through the Coronavirus Act 2020, the Government has also included new measures

to support BIDs: we have introduced a delay to BID ballots due to take place between

now and 31 December 2020 until March 2021. This will ensure that they are

conducted in a safe and effective way.

We know that a number of BIDs and local authorities are currently in the process of

issuing their bills to BID members, and we would hope that they can come to sensible

arrangements on charging given the current circumstances.

At present, businesses within a BID will still need to pay into their BID to ensure the

BID body can still provide vital support to their local business communities.

We are exploring other ways we can support BIDs directly and intend to bring forward

further plans very soon. Businesses can also benefit from the substantial package of

support announced by the Chancellor.




Business: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what

steps his Department has taken to support businesses facing challenges as a result of

the covid-19 outbreak in (a) Stoke-on-Trent, (b) Kidsgrove, (c) Talke and (d) England.

Mr Simon Clarke:

The Government has announced a package of support for businesses to help with

their ongoing business costs in recognition of the disruption caused by Covid-19. In

particular, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has been

working across Government to provide £12.33 billion of grant funding to help small

and rural businesses and businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors

manage their cashflow through this period. This support will take the form of two

grant funding schemes, the Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF) and the Retail,

Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF).

Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF):

• All businesses in England in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) and

Rural Rates Relief (RRR) in the business rates system will be eligible for a

payment of £10,000.

• This is estimated to apply to around 730,000 businesses across England.

Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF):

• Businesses in England that would have been in receipt of the Expanded Retail

Discount (which covers retail, hospitality and leisure) on 11 March with a rateable

value of less than £51,000 will be eligible for the following cash grants per property:

• Eligible businesses in these sectors with a property that has a rateable value of up

to and including £15,000 will receive a grant of £10,000.

• Eligible businesses in these sectors with a property that has a rateable value of

over £15,000 and less than £51,000 will receive a grant of £25,000.

The allocation for support in the local authorities of Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-

under-Lyme and the total for England is listed below:

LOCAL AUTHORITY ALLOCATION

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council

(Kidsgrove and Talke)

£23,876,000

Stoke-on-Trent City Council £57,654,000

Total

England £12.33billion



Charities: Coronavirus

Afzal Khan: [37972]


steps his Department has taken to support charity workers in faith organisations during

the covid-19 outbreak.

Luke Hall:

Faith communities have a long history of service supporting many of the most

vulnerable members of our society. The rapid response during the current pandemic

has been no different. We value the work being done to support those in need.

Charities can access many of the support measures the Chancellor has announced

for businesses, including deferring their VAT bills, paying no business rates on charity

shops next year, and furloughing staff with the Government paying 80 per cent of

their wages. Further details can be found at

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/financial-support-for-businesses-during-

coronavirus-covid-19

However, we know that some charities cannot furlough staff as they are contributing

to the frontline response. That is why the Chancellor on 9 April announced £750

million of funding for charities providing key frontline services to vulnerable people

affected by the pandemic. Further details can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-sets-out-extra-750-million-

coronavirus-funding-for-frontline-charities

We will continue to engage with the voluntary and community sector and faith

organisations to understand how we can support them to respond to the pressures

they may be facing.

Afzal Khan: [37974]


steps his Department is taking to support Mosques with charity work during the month of

Ramadan during the covid-19 outbreak.

Luke Hall:

British Muslims, like many faith communities across the country, have responded

during the COVID 19 pandemic to support their neighbours, communities and the

most vulnerable. We welcome the Muslim community’s continued contributions to our

shared national effort and know this will take on a special meaning during Ramadan.

The coronavirus pandemic has, however, challenged many parts of our daily life and

means that Muslims in the UK and around the world will not be able to mark

Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr in the way they would normally do and are instead finding

ways to do this virtually, including charitable work, such as fundraising, that would

have otherwise been done in person.

Charities can access many of the support measures the Chancellor has announced

for businesses, including deferring their VAT bills, paying no business rates on charity


https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fcollections%2Ffinancial-support-for-businesses-during-coronavirus-covid-19&data=02%7C01%7CSean.Bianco%40communities.gov.uk%7C5d47466958f44f6f3fd708d7e60b8f10%7Cbf3468109c7d43dea87224a2ef3995a8%7C0%7C0%7C637230809626631568&sdata=3AHSxkBgcXY%2BD%2B0XSOGOtNhL461a7j%2FxklUUJn3D9vw%3D&reserved=0



https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-sets-out-extra-750-million-coronavirus-funding-for-frontline-charities





shops next year, and furloughing staff with the Government paying 80 per cent of

their wages. Further details can be found at

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/financial-support-for-businesses-during-

coronavirus-covid-19

However, we know that some charities cannot furlough staff as they are contributing

to the frontline response. That is why the Chancellor on 9 April announced £750

million of funding for charities providing key frontline services to vulnerable people

affected by the pandemic. Further details can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-sets-out-extra-750-million-

coronavirus-funding-for-frontline-charities

The Government continues to engage with a range of faith groups, including Muslim

community representatives, to maintain a complete picture of the impact of

coronavirus and understand how we can support them to respond to the pressures

they may be facing.

Council Tax: Coronavirus



plans his Department has to provide financial support to people in the process of selling

property that have to pay council tax on two properties during the covid-19 outbreak.

Mr Simon Clarke:

Council tax plays a vital role in funding the delivery of essential frontline services

during the COVID-19 pandemic. Where councils consider it appropriate, they have

the discretion to offer council tax discounts of up to 100% on empty properties in their

area. They also have powers to agree alternative payment arrangements with

individual taxpayers.

District Councils: Finance



financial support he plans to provide to district councils to compensate for lost revenue

from (a) car parking charges, (b) rent, (c) leisure services and (d) council tax due to the

covid-19 outbreak.

Mr Simon Clarke:

On 18 April the Government announced an additional £1.6 billion of funding to

support councils in England to continue to deliver essential front line services,

bringing the total amount given to councils to help them through the covid-19

pandemic to over £3.2 billion. The package demonstrates the Government’s

commitment to making sure councils, including district councils, have the resources

they need to support their communities through this challenging time.










We are using data collection and our conversations with councils to refine our

assessment of costs and lost income resulting from the pandemic. Allocations to

individual local authorities will be announced shortly.

District Councils: Non-domestic Rates



support his Department is providing to District Councils in respect of the payment of the

business rate levy due during the covid-19 outbreak.

Mr Simon Clarke:

The Government has deferred the payment of £2.6 billion which billing authorities,

including district councils, were due to make over the next three months under the

business rates retention scheme. The Government will also be paying authorities

£9.57 billion to compensate them for waiving the business rates bills of ratepayers

occupying retail, leisure and other premises, in line with the Government's policy in

response to Covid-19 of reducing the rates burden on businesses.

Evictions: Coronavirus



estimate his Department has made of the number of people who have been evicted since

the lockdown period began due to the covid-19 outbreak.


The Department does not hold or collect information relating to evictions. The Ministry

of Justice publish quarterly statistics on possession claim actions in county courts by

mortgage lenders and social and private landlords.

We have introduced legislation through the Coronavirus Act 2020 that will protect

most tenants in the private and social rented sectors from eviction for a reasonable

and specified period of time, in recognition of the unusual circumstances arising from

the COVID-19 outbreak. It requires landlords to give three months’ notice of their

intention to seek possession to regain properties that are let on a tenancy.

In addition to the measures in the Coronavirus Act 2020 set out above, the Master of

the Rolls has issued a Practice Direction to stop housing possession claims which

are already in the court system or which are issued after the Act came into force from

progressing. As a result of these measures, no renter in private or social

accommodation needs to be concerned about the threat of eviction during this time.




Foreign Nationals: Homelessness

Gavin Newlands: [901989]

What plans he has to provide (a) support and (b) accommodation for overseas nationals

experiencing homelessness with no recourse to public funds during the covid-19

outbreak.

Hannah Bardell: [901995]

What plans he has to provide (a) support and (b) accommodation for overseas nationals

experiencing homelessness with no recourse to public funds during the covid-19

outbreak.

Luke Hall:

We have provided over £3.2 billion of new funding to help local authorities to reduce

risks to public health and to support individuals on the basis of need. This includes

those sleeping rough.

The Government recognises that these are unprecedented times and expects local

authorities to support people who are sleeping rough, and also to minimise

unnecessary risks to public health, acting within the law.

Freehold: Service Charges


To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the

Government's timeframe is for bringing forward legislative proposals to give freeholders

rights to challenge service charges.


The Government is committed to promoting fairness and transparency for

homeowners and ensuring that consumers are protected from abuse and poor

service. The Government is advancing a comprehensive programme of reform to end

unfair practices and raise standards in the leasehold and freehold markets.

Homeowners who pay estate rentcharges currently have limited rights to challenge

these costs. The Government intends to legislate to give freeholders on private and

mixed tenure estates equivalent rights to leaseholders to challenge the

reasonableness of estate rentcharges as well as a right to apply to the First-tier

Tribunal to appoint a new manager to manage the provision of services covered by

estate rentcharges. We will bring forward legislation as soon as Parliamentary time

allows.

Homelessness: Coronavirus

Alex Cunningham: [34976]


plans he has to provide (a) support and (b) accommodation for people experiencing

homelessness with no recourse to public funds during the covid-19 outbreak.






Luke Hall:

The Government is aware of concerns about those with no recourse to public funds

experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 crisis.

We are ensuring local authorities are supported, with £3.2 million in targeted funding

to help support individuals who are sleeping rough off the streets, and an additional

£3.2 billion provided to local authorities as part of the wider government response to

the COVID-19 pandemic.

This funding has been provided to help local authorities to reduce risks to public

health and to support individuals on the basis of need.

The legal position on those with no recourse to public funds has not been amended.

The Government recognises that these are unprecedented times, and expects local

authorities to support people who are sleeping rough, and also to minimise

unnecessary risks to public health, acting within the law.

Landlords: Coronavirus

Sarah Olney: [901999]

If he will take steps to encourage landlords to (a) defer rental payments and (b) not

approach guarantors for late rental payments during the covid-19 outbreak.

Luke Hall:

The Government, along with the courts service, has delivered unprecedented support

to reduce the risk of rent arrears and has taken legislative and procedural steps to

protect tenants.

We have been clear that there is a need for landlords to offer support and

understanding to tenants – and any guarantor – who may see their income fluctuate.

Local Government Services: Coronavirus

Andrew Gwynne: [37523]


steps he is taking to support workers that have faced racial, verbal and physical abuse

while providing local authority services during the covid-19 outbreak.

Luke Hall:

The Government takes hate crime and discrimination of any kind very seriously. We

are a tolerant and welcoming multicultural society and we have one of the strongest

legal frameworks in the world to report, record and prosecute hate crime. As such, I

would encourage anyone who experiences hate crime or any other form of verbal or

physical abuse to report it to the police.

While MHCLG does not performance manage local government, we do consider the

service delivery of authorities as part of our oversight of local government. We

continue to assess the risks affecting local government as part of the response to

coronavirus. This will allow for us to compile the information needed to identify risks




affecting councils and their workers, aiding us in assisting the Local Government

Association and across Government to identify those local authorities which may

need support.

Manufacturing Industries: Planning Permission



steps his Department is taking to support the growth of manufacturing within the National

Planning Policy Framework.


The latest 2018 revision of the National Planning Policy Framework provides more

detail on how significant weight should be placed on the need to support economic

growth and productivity, taking into account both local business needs and wider

opportunities for development, this can include the growth of manufacturing where it

is relevant. The Government has made clear in the Framework that planning policies

and decisions should help create the conditions in which businesses can invest,

expand and adapt.

Planning Permission: Coronavirus



steps he plans to take to ensure that planning decisions are not made during the covid-19

lockdown in the event that residents are prevented from engagement in the planning

process as a result of social distancing rules.



steps he is taking to ensure effective public engagement with the planning process during

the social distancing rules in place in response to the covid-19 outbreak.


To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with

reference to the guidance on social distancing published by Public Health England and

the covid-19 outbreak, what assessment he has made of the feasibility of proceeding with

large scale planning applications that require public consultations and meetings to be

held.



steps he is taking to ensure that people who may not have access to the internet are able

to take part in the consultation process for large scale planning applications.








The Government has made clear that local planning authorities should continue to

prioritise decision-making during these challenging times to ensure that the planning

system continues to function, especially when this when this will support the local

economy.

Local planning authorities are still required to undertake a formal period of public

consultation of no less than 21 days, prior to deciding a planning application.

Effective consultation allows local planning authorities to identify and consider all

relevant planning issues associated with a proposed development. Where relevant

considerations are raised by local residents, these must be taken into account by the

local authority.

Most planning applications are determined by planning officers through a local

authority’s scheme of delegation. Where decisions need to be made by committee,

we have introduced legislation that allow council planning committee meetings to be

held virtually.

Local planning authorities should take an innovative approach, using all options

available to them including their use of technology and electronic communication, to

ensure that planning decisions are made and sufficient public participation in the

planning process is maintained. The Government is working with the Planning

Advisory Service to publish further advice on ways this can be achieved.

Private Rented Housing: Reform

Janet Daby: [37818]

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the

timescale is for the introduction of the Renters Reform Bill; what the Government's plans

are for section 21 notices; and what plans he has to increase security for older private

renters in that upcoming bill.


As announced in the Queen’s Speech, the Government plans to introduce a package

of reforms to deliver a better deal for renters and a fairer and more effective rental

market. The Renters’ Reform Bill will enhance renters’ security and improve

protections for short-term tenants by abolishing ‘no-fault’ evictions. This will include

repealing Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 and represents a generational change

in the law that governs private renting.

However, at the current time, our collective efforts are focused on protecting people

during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. That means supporting our

communities as well as making sure measures to help renters and landlords over the

next few months are effective.

Our recent consultation ‘ A New Deal for Renting: Resetting the balance of rights and

responsibilities between landlords and tenants’ sought views from across the private

and social rented sectors on how a new system should operate, in order to ensure



that we get the details right and create a new framework which works for everyone.

We received responses to our consultation which highlighted the experience of a

range of people who rent their homes in the private rented sector, including older

people. In total, almost 20,000 responses to the consultation were received and these

are being carefully considered to help inform the Renters’ Reform Bill. We will

respond fully to the consultation in due course.

Private Rented Housing: Students

Abena Oppong-Asare: [37962]


plans he has to work with private student accommodation providers to offer students

affected by the covid-19 lockdown measures an early release from their accommodation

contract.


The Department is actively engaging with stakeholders across the student

accommodation sector, including private student accommodation providers, to

understand the challenges posed by the current crisis and to establish the most

effective means of supporting the whole of the sector.

The negotiation of early releases from contracts is a matter between the parties

concerned. The Government encourages student accommodation providers,

landlords, letting agencies and tenants to act flexibly and adopt a common-sense

approach to issues that may arise in the current circumstances.

Public Health Funerals: Coronavirus



guidance his Department has provided to local authorities on ensuring that relatives are

able to attend paupers funerals conducted by councils during the covid-19 outbreak.

Mr Simon Clarke:

Funerals should continue to be held to allow families and loved ones to say goodbye

and respect the wishes, religion and beliefs of the deceased. Guidance for Managing

a Funeral during the Coronavirus pandemic was issued by Government on 19 April to

ensure the bereaved are treated with sensitivity, dignity and respect. The guidance

permits funerals to take place and for physical attendance of mourners to continue as

long as those attending adhere to this guidance, which details how the risk of

Coronavirus transmission can be reduced. My Department also wrote to all councils

in England on 17 April reiterating the need for the bereaved to have the opportunity to

pay their final respects as a fundamental part of the grieving process.




Rents: Students



assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of providing support for

students in rented accommodation through Government subsidies for (a) rent holidays

and (b) a freeze on rent payable during the covid-19 outbreak.


We have announced a radical package of measures to protect renters, including

students, affected by coronavirus. Students will continue to receive scheduled

payments of loans towards their living costs for the remainder of the current, 2019/20,

academic year and we understand that most universities maintain hardship funds,

which can be accessed where necessary. The Government has also announced

unprecedented measures to support workers, including students who are workers

under PAYE, during this period by paying up to 80 per cent of their wages.

The Department is actively engaging with stakeholders across the student

accommodation sector, including private student accommodation providers, to

understand the challenges posed by the current crisis and to establish the most

effective means of supporting the whole of the sector.

The negotiation of early releases from contracts is a matter between the parties

concerned. The Government encourages student accommodation providers,

landlords, letting agencies and tenants to act flexibly and adopt a common-sense

approach to issues that may arise in the current circumstances.

Retail Trade: Coronavirus



steps his Department is taking to ensure that all non-essential retail stores are closed in

order to (a) encourage consumers to comply with social distancing measures and (b) help

protect retail store employees during the covid-19 lockdown.

Mr Simon Clarke:

My Department led the preparation of the Health Protection (Coronavirus,

Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 which enforces the closure of certain

businesses and venues, including many retail premises. This is to minimise the risk of

transmission of novel coronavirus by encouraging the public to stay at home

wherever possible. Only categories of retail business which provide vital services to

the public such as food and groceries, hardware for home repairs, and medicines

remain physically open. These closures are enforceable by law. Trading Standards

and Environmental Health officers within local authorities have the power to issue

prohibition notices to non-compliant stores and potentially issue fixed penalty notices

to store owners or managers and begin prosecutions where necessary.




The Government remains clear that online retail can continue to operate, supported

by the postal and delivery services which enable it. The public are using online retail

as well as the stores that do remain open to access the products they need to provide

for daily needs, to remain connected and to support upkeep of the home.

Where stores do remain open, we strongly advise them to continue to follow specific

Public Health England guidelines for customers and employees. To ensure retail

workers are protected under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, these

measures will be monitored by Health and Safety Executive Officers or Local

Environmental Health Officers depending on the premise.

The British Retail Consortium has also developed sector specific guidance on social

distancing in warehouses and distribution centres aligned with the Public Health

England advice that supports safety of employees who are enabling the retail sector

to continue.

Travellers: Coronavirus

Christian Matheson: [37723]


recent assessment he has made of the needs of Travellers during the covid-19 outbreak.


The Government is determined to ensure everyone gets the support they need to

look after themselves and their families during the COVID-19 outbreak and are

enabled to take the necessary measures to reduce the spread of the virus. We are

holding regular discussions with representatives from Gypsy and Traveller

communities to understand the issues they are facing, and to understand what

guidance and support, including for local authorities, who have a responsibility to look

after vulnerable groups. On 11 April, the Communities Minister wrote to local

authority Chief Executives to highlight the need to mitigate potential impacts amongst

Gypsy and Traveller communities, highlighting that some Gypsies and Travellers may

need assistance in accessing basic facilities such as water, sanitation and waste

disposal, to enable them to adhere to public health guidelines around self-isolation

and social distancing.

On 18 April, the Local Government Secretary announced that councils across

England will receive a further £1.6 billion to help them to deal with the immediate

impacts of coronavirus. This takes the total funding to support councils to respond to

the pandemic to over £3.2 billion.

The Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing also wrote to Caravan Site owners and

managers on 27 March to confirm that people who live permanently in caravan parks,

or are staying in caravan parks while their primary residence is unavailable, may

continue to do so.

Levels of self-employment are high amongst Gypsy and Traveller communities. The

Government recently announced a scheme for those who are self-employed to claim



a taxable grant worth 80 per cent of their trading profits up to a maximum of £2500

per month for the next 3 months. This may be extended if needed.

Trees


To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether

tree watering by councils should be considered an essential service during the covid-19.

Mr Simon Clarke:

We recognise the importance of green spaces and trees during these unprecedented

times, particularly for people’s physical and mental wellbeing. We would encourage

local authorities to ensure that trees on council land are maintained, including

watering where appropriate. However, we do of course recognise the pressures on

local authorities at the current time and it is at their discretion to prioritise local

resources as they see fit, whilst ensuring employees are able to follow Public Health

England guidelines. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-

employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-

on-coronavirus-covid-19 )

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Africa: Coronavirus

Christian Wakeford: [38630]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department

is taking to support developing countries in Africa to tackle the covid-19 outbreak.

James Duddridge:

The UK is playing a leading role in the global response to COVID-19, working with

international partners to slow its spread. We are using UK aid to mitigate new health,

humanitarian and economic risks across Africa and have pledged £744 million of UK

aid globally to end the pandemic. The UK continues to work with partners, including

the United Nations, to ensure aid reaches those most in need. We have provided

health experts in key African countries and organisations. This includes a team at the

WHO’s AFRO regional office in Brazzaville.

The UK is also providing up to £150 million to the International Monetary Fund’s

Catastrophe Containment Relief Trust to help developing countries, including many in

Africa, meet their debt repayments so that they can focus available resources on

tackling COVID-19. The UK has worked closely with G20 creditors and the Paris Club

on a temporary suspension of debt repayments from countries that request relief,

further boosting response capacities.

Finally, the UK is urgently redirecting existing programmes right across Africa to

respond to COVID-19, prioritising health, humanitarian, growth and trade as well as




education and nutrition, recognising that these components are vital for response and

longer term recovery.

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance: Finance


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much funding the

Government plans to provide to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in each year from 2021 to

2025.

Wendy Morton:

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance’s work is critical to the delivery of the UK’s objective to end

preventable deaths, having helped save 13 million lives since its inception in 2000,

and has a crucial role to play in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The UK

remains deeply committed to supporting this work, including through the provision of

significant funding to Gavi and hosting the Gavi replenishment at the Global Vaccine

Summit 2020 on 4 June. The level of funding for Gavi’s next strategic period is

currently being considered.

Trade: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent steps her

Department has taken to ensure the sustainability of global supply chains during the

covid-19 pandemic.

Nigel Adams:

Disruption to trade is one of the key drivers of COVID-19 global economic shock.

Long-lasting or overly restrictive trade measures that inhibit free trade will hit the most

vulnerable countries hardest.

The government is working to keep supply chains open to ensure essential goods

and services reach consumers and vulnerable livelihoods are protected. The demand

and supply challenges facing global trade are acute.

We are working with the G20, WTO and World Bank on development-focused trade

support, including ensuring flows of medical supplies.

Yemen: Overseas Aid


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her department

is taking to (a) provide new and additional funding and (b) support local actors in Yemen

to respond to the covid-19 pandemic with (i) public health promotion, (ii) livelihoods

assistance and (iii) increasing food security.





James Cleverly:

The UK has already announced £744 million of aid to support the global efforts to

combat the outbreak of COVID-19, including helping developing countries like Yemen

to rapidly identify and care for patients with symptoms.

In response to COVID-19, we continue to support the United Nations Children Fund,

who are working with Yemen’s Ministry of Health to strengthen the country’s health

care capacity. We are also engaging closely with the World Food Programme and the

Yemen Social Fund for Development, to bring forward funding to tackle food

insecurity and increase livelihoods assistance.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Department for International Trade: Official Hospitality

Andrew Griffith: [38956]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how much her Department spent on

other catering and hospitality costs in each of the last three accounting years.

Conor Burns:

The Department for International Trade (DIT) has spent the amounts listed below for

catering and hospitality in the financial years 2017/2018, 2018/2019 and 2019/2020.

This cost includes both the UK and overseas.

The breakdown is as follows:

FINANCIAL YEAR AMOUNT

April 2017 - March 2018 £118,579.00

April 2018 - March 2019 £158,236.00

April 2019 – March 2020 £207,652.07

Total £484,467.07

Staff at the DIT are located across more than one hundred countries and as we

prepare to leave the EU, our ministers and DIT staff regularly travel overseas to build

relationships with key global trading partners and the Department provides hospitality

or diplomatic entertainment on trade issues.

This includes through the 14 trade working groups we have set up across 21

countries to advance the UK's trade and investment relationships and scope out the

potential for future free trade agreements. The figures include overseas spending.



Import Duties: Public Consultation


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when her Department plans to

publish a response to its consultation entitled The UK Global Tariff, which ended on 5

March 2020; and if she will make a statement.

Conor Burns:

To inform the development of the UK Global Tariff, the Government launched a four-

week public consultation, beginning on 6 February 2020 and closing on 5 March 2020

at 23:59 GMT. The Government encouraged everyone with an interest to take part

and provide their views.

The Government is now carefully considering the available evidence, including

consultation responses, and HMG will communicate a response, on what is a market

sensitive issue, to parliament, stakeholders and the public as soon as possible.

JUSTICE

Assaults on Police: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to increase sentencing for

people found guilty of spitting at police officers during the covid-19 outbreak.

Chris Philp:

It is vital that offenders using coronavirus to threaten our emergency workers as they

strive to protect us during this pandemic face the full force of the law.

Such behaviour is an assault and where this is directed at an emergency worker we

have recently doubled the maximum penalty for assault from 6 to 12 months’

imprisonment. We have already seen significant sentences imposed on those using

coronavirus as a threat.

Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for our independent Courts. On 8 April

2020, the Sentencing Council also published interim guidance for sentencers in the

context of the Covid-19 pandemic. The interim guidance clarifies that, when

sentencing common assault offences involving threats or activity relating to

transmission of Covid-19, courts should treat this as an aggravating feature of the

offence, meaning a more severe penalty could be imposed than would have been the

case absent the aggravating factor (subject always to the maximum penalty for the

offence).

Coroners: Reviews

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: [37776]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the timeframe is for the (a) conclusion and

(b) publication of the post-implementation review of the coroner service.





Alex Chalk:

The call for evidence and survey elements of the post-implementation review of the

2013 coroner reforms were concluded at the end of 2015. We aim to complete our

analysis and publish a report in due course.

Courts: Coronavirus

Mr Toby Perkins: [901942]

What changes are required for the effective operation of courts and tribunals during the

covid-19 outbreak.

Chris Philp:

Access to justice is an essential part of our lives - and I want to pay tribute to all those

involved in keeping the wheels of justice turning - the judges, HMCTS staff, and

partners throughout the justice system as well as legal professionals, volunteers and

others.

Our priorities are to maintain access to justice – in particular for the most urgent

cases such as bail applications and urgent family hearings – and to protect the safety

of all who work in the courts and tribunals. To do this, we have already made

changes in 5 broad areas:

• Prioritising cases

• Supporting our staff

• Expanding use of video

• Consolidating courts

• Cleanliness

Despite the exceptional circumstances, our justice system remained ‘open’ to deal

with the most vulnerable in society. In France, for example, courts are closed for all

but ‘essential litigation’ and Italy is in full lockdown until 4th May.

Bim Afolami: [901945]

What assessment he has made of the level of compliance with social distancing

measures by (a) criminal and (b) civil courts during the covid-19 outbreak.

Chris Philp:

Levels of compliance with social distancing by criminal and civil courts are high.

HMCTS are following PHE guidance to ensure that our courts and tribunals support

proper social distancing measures for everyone who uses and works in them.

Working with the judiciary, we have agreed how to prioritise the most urgent cases.

For example, in crime we are prioritising cases in custody, in family we are dealing

with cases to protect vulnerable children such as Emergency Protection Orders,

Interim Care Orders and Issue Resolution Hearings in care proceedings.




With the judiciary, we have also moved to hear many more cases remotely by

telephone or video wherever possible and appropriate – so that people are able to

stay at home.

Jury trials are currently paused for a short time to put appropriate arrangements in

place to maintain social distancing for jurors.

I also want to thank the judiciary for their continued work in courts and tribunals to

keep the wheels of justice turning and keeping the public safe during these

unprecedented times.

Crimes of Violence: Coronavirus

Tom Hunt: [37915]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that the use of

coronavirus as a weapon is treated as an aggravating factor in sentencing.

Chris Philp:

It is vital that offenders using coronavirus to threaten others during this pandemic

face the full force of the law.

Such behaviour is an assault and where this is directed at an emergency worker we

have recently doubled the maximum penalty for assault from 6 to 12 months’

imprisonment. We have already seen significant sentences imposed on those using

coronavirus as a threat.

Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for our independent Courts. On 8 April

2020, the Sentencing Council also published interim guidance for sentencers in the

context of the Covid-19 pandemic. The interim guidance clarifies that, when

sentencing common assault offences involving threats or activity relating to

transmission of Covid-19, courts should treat this as an aggravating feature of the

offence, meaning a more severe penalty could be imposed than would have been the

case absent the aggravating factor (subject always to the maximum penalty for the

offence).

Fraud: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has plans to increase

sentences for people convicted of fraudulent activity that is related to the covid-19

outbreak.

Chris Philp:

The Government is committed to ensuring a robust response to those who exploit the

covid-19 outbreak through criminal means.

Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for our independent courts. Fraud is a

serious offence and Parliament, in setting a maximum penalty of 10 years’ custody,

has provided the courts with the full range of sentencing powers to deal effectively

with offenders.




If a victim is particularly vulnerable for any reason (this applies regardless of the

Covid context) then the sentencing guidelines do provide an aggravating factor for

the victim’s vulnerability. This means a more severe penalty could be imposed than

would have been the case absent the aggravating factor (subject always to the

maximum penalty for the offence).

The Government continues to work alongside the CPS to provide a multi-agency

response to criminality associated with covid-19. A joint interim charging protocol has

been agreed between the police and CPS which gives the highest priority to custody

cases and all covid-19 related cases, including related fraud offences.

Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions the UK Government has had

with British judges sitting on Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal on the potential effect on

the rule of law in Hong Kong in the event that the Government of Hong Kong enact

national security legislation.

Chris Philp:

The UK Government has not held discussions with British judges sitting in Hong

Kong’s Court of Final Appeal regarding the potential effect of the rule of law in Hong

Kong in the event that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government

enacts national security legislation. Any legislation introduced in Hong Kong should

be consistent with both the letter and the spirit of the Joint Declaration and the Hong

Kong Basic Law.

The UK Government upholds the fundamental tenet of judicial independence in all

jurisdictions, for judges to be able to apply the law of that jurisdiction in accordance

with the principles of the rule of law and without interference from the Executive.

Prison Accommodation


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent progress his Department has made

on increasing prison capacity.

Lucy Frazer:

The Prime Minister has committed up to £2.5bn to transform the prison estate by

creating 10,000 additional prison places as part of this government’s commitment to

crack down on crime. These places will be modern, decent, safe and secure and will

support offender rehabilitation.

Under our plans for the prison estate, additional capacity will be provided through our

new prisons, refurbishments to existing accommodation and the creation of purpose-

built houseblocks to manage the projected population increase and transform the

estate.




This is on top of the c.3,500 places which we have begun at Wellingborough; that we

will start building at Glen Parva later this year; and that we opened at HMP Stocken

in June 2019.

In September 2019 we secured outline planning permission for a 1,440-place prison

to be built at Full Sutton, the first prison of the 10,000 additional places, where we

have available space next to the existing HMP Full Sutton. We also continue to

undertake site searches and feasibility work for locations that could be used for future

prison and houseblock construction.

Prison Visitors: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the outbreak of covid-19, for

what length of time his Department plans to delay prison visits.

Lucy Frazer:

As of 24 March, prisons in England and Wales are temporarily closed to visitors to

enable us to ensure the safe and secure functioning of our prisons, while enforcing

social distancing. These measures are part of the nationwide efforts to fight

coronavirus and we will review the restrictions in line with updates to public health

advice.

In recognition of the importance of continued contact with family and to ensure

stability in our jails, the Government has moved quickly to keep prisoners in touch

with their family members. This includes the provision of 900 locked mobile phones to

establishments that do not yet have in-cell telephony.

Prisoners' Release: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect on

public safety of the proposed early release of prisoners during the covid-19 outbreak.

Lucy Frazer:

Public protection is paramount; only risk-assessed prisoners who are within two

months of their release date will be considered for temporary early release from jail.

No high-risk offenders, including those convicted of violent or sexual offences,

anyone of national security concern or a danger to children, will be considered for

release, nor any prisoners who have not served at least half their custodial term.

Additionally, no offender convicted of COVID-19 related offences, including coughing

at emergency workers or stealing personal protective equipment, will be eligible.

Prisoners who pass the stringent criteria for release will be subject to strict conditions,

and will be electronically monitored, including with GPS tags, to enforce the

requirement to stay at home. Offenders can be immediately recalled to prison for

breaching these conditions or committing further offences.




No prisoner will be released early if they have symptoms of coronavirus or without

housing and health support being in place.

Prisoners: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of prisoners who have tested

positive for covid-19 to date are (a) male, (b) female and (c) serving sentences under six

months.

Lucy Frazer:

The Ministry of Justice intends to publish statistics on prisoners who have tested

positive for COVID-19 on an ongoing basis during the coming months.

Prisons: Crime


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to reduce

levels of crime in prisons.

Lucy Frazer:

Tackling crime behind bars remains a key priority for the Government. HMPPS is

working closely with the National Police Chief’s Council and the Crown Prosecution

Service to ensure crimes in prison are dealt with more effectively. In May 2019, we

published a revised Crime in Prisons Referral Agreement which aimed to provide a

more consistent approach to managing crimes committed within prison.

We are also moving forward with our £100m investment to improve prison security

wherever possible given the current climate. This investment includes enhancing gate

security in our prisons so we can further target visitors and staff who attempt to

convey contraband, such as drugs and mobile phones, into prisons, and investing

further in x-ray body scanners for prisoners. The investment will also strengthen staff

resilience to corruption and target organised criminals who exploit prisons as a

lucrative market.

Probation: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department has taken to ensure

that probation services maintain their services during the covid-19 pandemic.

Lucy Frazer:

Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service has taken steps to ensure probation

services are maintained, focussing resources on public protection, balancing the risks

of spreading the virus and the need to protect our staff, offenders and those they

come into contact with.

During the pandemic probation officers will prioritise resource into supervising in

person those who pose the very highest risk.





Face-to-face contact will remain for terrorists, offenders without a phone and prison

leavers reporting for their initial appointment. Doorstep visits will be the default option

for all other high-risk offenders and medium-risk offenders with domestic abuse or

other safeguarding issues. This will involve a phone call with the offender visible to

their probation officer. Video and voice calls will be used in addition.

Lower-risk offenders will now be supervised more frequently via telephone or video

messaging. If staff believe it is the right thing to do, offenders can always be recalled

to prison.

Social Security Benefits: Coronavirus

Kate Osamor: [37991]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps Her Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals

Service is taking to process social security benefit appeals at the First Tier Tribunal


Alex Chalk:

HM Courts & Tribunals Service is working hard to keep our justice system functioning

during this unprecedented public health emergency. We are focusing on priority

cases, changing working practices and introducing new procedures to minimise risks

to the judiciary, staff and all those who use our courts and tribunals.

In line with government guidance, face to face hearings in the First-tier Tribunal

(Social Security and Child Support) (SSCS) have been replaced with telephone

hearings and the use of other remote hearing technology to facilitate as many

hearings as possible being held remotely. All parties to the hearings are being

contacted directly to confirm new hearing arrangements.

In addition to holding remote hearings in all regions, appeals may also be decided by

judges sitting alone in chambers, using the evidence before them in the case papers.

These changes to Tribunal practice are authorised by Practice Direction of the Senior

President of Tribunals (effective 19 th March 2020) and amendments to the relevant

Tribunal procedure rules:

www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2020/416.

Pilot Practice Direction: Contingency Arrangement in the First-tier Tribunal and the

Upper Tribunal

Pilot Practice Direction: Panel Composition in the First-tier Tribunal and the Upper

Tribunal

The latest advice and guidance from the government and judiciary in relation to

appeals within the Tribunal during the coronavirus pandemic is updated regularly and

can be viewed using the following links:

www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-courts-and-tribunals-planning-and-

preparation

www.judiciary.uk/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-and-guidance/


http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2020/416

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2020/416

https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/General-Pilot-Practice-Direction-Final-For-Publication-CORRECTED-23032020.pdf



https://www.judiciary.uk/publications/pilot-practice-direction-panel-composition-in-the-first-tier-tribunal-and-the-upper-tribunal/



http://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-courts-and-tribunals-planning-and-preparation



http://www.judiciary.uk/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-and-guidance/

http://www.judiciary.uk/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-and-guidance/


SCOTLAND

Coronavirus: Scotland


To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the National

Farmers' Union Scotland in response to the covid-19 outbreak.

Mr Alister Jack:

My Parliamentary Under Secretary, OSSS officials and I have extremely regular

contact with the National Farmers Union, Scotland. I very much value this relationship

and we will continue to work together to address the challenging issues that the

farming sector in Scotland faces as a result of Covid-19.

TRANSPORT

Airlines: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that airlines

do not pressurise their furloughed employees to work during the period in which they are

furloughed.

Kelly Tolhurst:

The Government recognises the challenging times facing the aviation sector as a

result of COVID-19. The aviation sector is important to the UK economy and will be

able to draw upon the unprecedented package of measures announced by the

Chancellor, including a Bank of England scheme for firms to raise capital, Time to

Pay flexibilities with tax bills, financial support for employees and VAT deferrals.

The measures have been designed to ensure that companies of any size receive the

help they need to get through this difficult time – airports, airlines and the wider

supply chain.

The Government’s guidance on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, published at

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-

retention-scheme, is clear that employees placed on furlough cannot undertake paid

work for their employer.

We recognise the need to ensure that the scheme is sufficiently flexible to take

account of the specific requirements of the civil aviation sector, including for example

the ability to maintain a skeleton staff to continue critical operations, and to permit

mandatory training and certification requirements. We believe that the guidance does

provide this flexibility, for instance by not requiring a company’s entire workforce to be

furloughed, by permitting employees to be furloughed multiple times - subject to a

minimum furlough period of three consecutive weeks - and by making specific

provision for training to be undertaken during furlough.



https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme





To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that airlines

are taking into account social distancing measures and safeguarding the health of cabin

crew and staff during the covid-19 outbreak.

Kelly Tolhurst:

The Government has provided clear instructions to the public and to businesses on

the steps they need to take to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including guidance

on social distancing.

Officials are continuing to engage with the aviation sector to ensure they are

supported in implementing new operational practices.

Airports and Ports: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to (a)

temperature test people (i) arriving at and (ii) departing from airports and ports for covid-

19 and (b) introduce quarantine arrangements for people arriving at those airports and

ports whose temperature indicates that they may have that infection; and if will he make a

statement.

Kelly Tolhurst:

Airports are following Public Health England’s (PHE) guidance on preventing the

spread of COVID-19, as well as following their existing internal protocols on

preventing the spread of infectious diseases.

The UK Government is not mandating arriving and exit health screening currently.

This is under constant review and if there is a change in policy, all ports and airports

will be notified accordingly.

The advice for travellers is the same as for the rest of the population: they are

advised to reduce their social contacts by staying at home and following the same

social distancing measures as the rest of the country. If they begin to show

symptoms, they should self-isolate. All airports are required to identify specific

isolation areas to be used in case a passenger becomes ill until the local health

response arrives.



To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to

ensure that private plane operators complete due diligence checks to ensure their

passengers comply with the Coronavirus Act 2020.

Kelly Tolhurst:

The safety of staff and passengers is a priority, and measures are already in place to

protect people’s health and safety when travelling by air. All airports are encouraged

to follow Public Health England guidance on preventing the spread of COVID-19.





PHE has also provided specific guidance on health and safety for flight crews. The

advice for travellers is the same as for the rest of the UK population. The

Government’s “stay at home” posters are on display at all UK airports and many

airports have the messaging on digital screens as well. Airports and airlines have

also been provided with PHE leaflets to give to passengers outlining the symptoms of

COVID-19, current guidance, and general public health advice.

Aviation: Iran


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government plans to stop flights

to and from Iran due to the covid-19 outbreak in that country.

Kelly Tolhurst:

In responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government is working to a

scientifically-led, step-by-step action plan, focusing on taking the right measures at

the right time.

Whilst there is community transmission within the UK, the role played by imported

cases is less significant and so our focus in the current delay phase has not been on

screening measures at the border. Additionally, it is vital that flights are still able to

land in the UK in order to allow Britons who have been stranded abroad as a result of

the pandemic to return home, and to allow key supplies to continue moving into and

around the UK.

Airlines and airports have already implemented additional measures in response to

COVID-19 in line with advice from PHE, SAGE and the Chief Medical Officer. Airports

are displaying posters and digital signage relaying Government information about

COVID-19. Passengers arriving into UK airports are being given a leaflet with

information about the measures in place in the UK, and announcements are made on

aircraft an hour before landing.

Government will keep this process under review as the pandemic develops. This may

mean that measures and procedures change as we control the spread of, and

understand more about, the virus. Any changes to our approach will be led by advice

from SAGE and the Chief Medical Officer. Protecting the health of the UK public will

always come first.

British Airways: Coronavirus

Seema Malhotra: [37689]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with

representatives of British Airways regarding the steps they are taking to reduce the

exposure of their staff to covid-19.




Kelly Tolhurst:

The Government is working round the clock to keep people safe and prevent the

spread of COVID-19. Public Health England has developed specific guidance for

flight crews on keeping themselves and their passengers safe, including guidance on

safe principles of working and on the use of personal protective equipment.

Officials are continuing to engage with the aviation sector to ensure they are

supported in implementing new operational practices. This includes facilitating a

weekly phone call with Public Health England to enable the aviation industry to raise

operational questions directly wherever necessary.

Officials are in regular contact with Trade Unions and are seeking their input on best

practice guidance for safe working during COVID-19. The European Union Aviation

Safety Agency (EASA) has also introduced a requirement for aircrafts to be

disinfected after every flight, this will further mitigate health risks to staff and

passengers.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with

representatives of British Airways on the provision of financial support for that company


Kelly Tolhurst:

The department is monitoring and in regular dialogue with aviation businesses,

including British Airways, ensuring that firms which provide vital services and

infrastructure still exist following the outbreak.

The Chancellor has taken significant action to support businesses throughout the UK

economy – including unprecedented steps to support wages and financing. These

include Time to Pay, financial support for employees, and the Bank of England’s

Covid Corporate Financing Facility.

We do not comment on the commercial or financial matters of private firms. To

protect the interests of the taxpayer, the Chancellor has been clear that bespoke

Government support will only be considered as a last resort, once all other options

have been fully exhausted – including raising further capital from existing investors,

approaching other investors, and discussing arrangements with financial

stakeholders. Any Government support will only be provided on commercial terms.

Driving Tests: Coronavirus



ensure that the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency can schedule driving tests for

critical workers using existing appointment systems during the covid-19 outbreak.




Rachel Maclean:

From 21 March 2020, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) suspended

most practical driver testing for up to three months to support the Government’s

efforts to limit the spread of coronavirus.

As a matter of priority, the DVSA is supporting the NHS and key workers by making

practical driving tests available for those whose work is critical to the COVID-19

response, or who work in critical sectors such as health and social care.

Critical workers can apply for an emergency driving test by emailing:

[email protected]

Ferries: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his policy is on support for private ferry

companies affected by the economic effect of the covid-19 outbreak.

Kelly Tolhurst:

The Coronavirus outbreak is among the biggest challenges our transport industry has

ever confronted, and I am grateful for the sustained efforts by ferry operators in

running crucial services to support the continued flow of freight. The Government

announced an unprecedent package of financial measures worth £350 billion to

support companies through these challenging times and a full range of support

schemes have been made available to UK businesses. My department is working

closely with maritime operators to consider how these apply to them.

In addition, on 24 April we announced a package of funding to support lifeline

services and critical freight routes. This includes up to £10.5m for lifeline services to

the Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight, up to £17m for critical freight routes between

Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and support for up to 26 critical freight routes

between Great Britain and mainland Europe.

We will continue to work closely with industry to monitor the implementation of these

measures to continue these vital services.

Heathrow Airport: Air Traffic

Mark Menzies: [37598]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made

of the environmental effect of aeroplanes circling Heathrow airport while awaiting a

landing slot.

Kelly Tolhurst:

We recognise that aircraft maintaining a holding pattern before landing at Heathrow

wastes fuel, creates delays for airlines and their customers, and can increase

aviation’s environmental impact.




A key objective of the UK’s plan for airspace modernisation is therefore to minimise

the amount of airborne holding before landing at our major airports, which will help to

reduce carbon emissions and noise impacts.

It may also be of interest to my hon. Friend the Member for Fylde, that following a

request for urgent action from the Secretary of State for Transport, on 27 March the

UK’s Airport Slot Coordinator, Airport Coordination Limited, announced it would grant

alleviation to airlines from the 80:20 slot usage rules until October 2020. This will

avoid ‘ghost planes’, and protect both airlines and the environment. The letters from

the Secretary of State are publicly available to my hon. Friend the Member for Fylde.

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has plans to suspend the

requirement for HGV drivers to udnertake a medical in order to renew their license during


Rachel Maclean:

To keep bus and lorry drivers on the road and vital supply chains moving during the

coronavirus pandemic, the Government has made temporary provisions to remove

the requirement to submit a medical report when applying to renew a lorry or bus

licence until further notice. Provided they have no notifiable medical conditions,

drivers will be issued a licence that is valid for one year instead of the usual five. This

only applies if the licence expired after 1 January 2020 or is due to expire.

As is always the case, drivers must ensure they are medically fit to drive and they are

legally obliged to notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency about any onset or

worsening of medical conditions.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a)

HGV and (b) logistics firms are providing drivers with (i) personal protective equipment

and (ii) access to toilet and hygiene facilities.

Rachel Maclean:

i) The Government has set out its clear, evidence based, strategy providing guidance

on the sectors which have a clinical need for PPE. We have encouraged transport

operators to check the guidance and make any changes in a way that works for their

business, employees and customers, and asked that changes made be considered in

consultation with their employees.

ii) Officials in my department have been working closely with the freight associations

and Motorway Service Areas (MSAs), to ensure that they continue to provide suitable

toilets and shower facilities to drivers. We have also been working with large

Regional Distribution Centres (RDCs), who have implemented hygiene procedures




and social distancing in line with the Road Haulage Association (RHA) and

government guidelines.

Where access to toilet or handwashing facilities is denied, and proper social

distancing measures are not in place, this can be reported to RHA, who are collecting

information on this issue.

Nick Fletcher: [37971]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the

potential merits of suspending medical examinations for people who need to renew their

HGV licenses during the covid-19 outbreak.

Rachel Maclean:

To keep bus and lorry drivers on the road, the Government has made temporary

provisions to remove the requirement to submit a medical report when applying to

renew a bus or lorry driving licence, until further notice. Provided they have no

notifiable medical conditions, drivers will be issued a licence that is valid for one year

instead of the usual five. This only applies if the licence expired after 1 January 2020

or is due to expire.

As is always the case, drivers must ensure they are medically fit to drive and they are

legally obliged to notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency about the onset or

worsening of any medical condition.

Large Goods Vehicles: Coronavirus



support hauliers to maintain supply and distribution networks during the covid-19

outbreak.

Rachel Maclean:

The Government has made available £330bn of support through loans and

guarantees to support UK businesses. Changes were made on 3 April to ensure that

more businesses, particularly those that are SMEs, like many road haulage

companies, can benefit from them. Additionally, the job retention scheme which has

now been launched will help further by enabling businesses to claim up to £2,500 a

month towards staff wages.

The Government is working with the road haulage industry to identify barriers to

accessing the available government support measures.

Motor Vehicles: Testing


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance he has published for vehicle

owners whose MOT was due before 30 March 2020 and whose appointment was

cancelled due to temporary garage closures during the covid-19 outbreak.





Rachel Maclean:

MOT requirements have been temporarily altered due to the ongoing COVID-19

pandemic. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has published guidance relating

to light vehicles which were due for an MOT before 30 March. This is available online

at the following web address: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-

mots-for-cars-vans-and-motorcycles-due-before-30-march-2020.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimates his Department has made of

how many drivers in (a) the Scottish Borders, (b) Scotland, and (c) the UK will benefit

from the MOT extension due to the covid-19 outbreak.

Rachel Maclean:

The MOT data held by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency relates to vehicles,

not to the number of drivers who use those vehicles. This data is not disaggregated

based on country or region but represents the GB vehicle fleet as a whole.

In April 2020 there are 2,950,295 vehicles due for either a repeat MOT or due for first

MOT. In May 2020 there are 3,002,339 vehicles due for repeat or first MOT. In June

2020 there are 2,979,869 vehicles due for repeat or first MOT.

Based on the duration of social distancing measures determined by the Government,

the number of vehicles able to benefit from the exclusion to MOT testing will vary. If

the legislation allowing the exclusions is no longer required, it may be revoked.

Shipping: Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Karl Turner: [37616]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether UK domiciled seafarers will be

eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

Kelly Tolhurst:

UK domiciled seafarers who are employed by an entity that has a UK PAYE scheme

as at 19th March and a UK bank account are eligible for the Coronavirus Job

Retention Scheme.

Transport: Coronavirus

Daniel Kawczynski: [37541]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what financial support the Government is

making available to the transport sector during the covid-19 outbreak.

Kelly Tolhurst:

We recognise that the Covid-19 outbreak has had unprecedented effects across the

transport sector. The government has provided a comprehensive support package for

businesses. This includes measures to support workers through the Coronavirus Job

Retention Scheme, and support to businesses through the Covid Corporate

Financing Facility, the Coronavirus Interruption Loan Scheme and the Coronavirus

Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme.





We are engaging with the transport sector on a regular basis to understand the

impacts of Covid-19 on their businesses and providing guidance on how to access

the government’s business support schemes.

On Friday 24 April the government announced a multi-million-pound support package

for essential freight services, including up to £17 million for critical routes between

Northern Ireland and Great Britain, up to £10.5 million for lifeline ferry and freight

services to the Isle of Wight and the Scilly Isles, and further support for critical routes

between Britain and the European mainland.

The Secretary of State for Transport also confirmed that the Department for

Transport has been working with the Northern Ireland Executive to develop a support

package which will ensure passenger flights from Belfast and Derry-Londonderry to

Great Britain are maintained during this Covid-19 response period. This will ensure

that routes which are vital for those who need to travel remain open. The Department

is in discussions with the relevant airlines, airports and the Northern Ireland Executive

to finalise this package, guaranteeing lifeline air passenger services.

In addition, government has provided funding totalling £167 million over 3 months to

support bus services in England, to keep key routes running and to provide a lifeline

for those who cannot work from home.

Dan Jarvis: [37670]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether a member of a household may drive

another member of the same household, who is a key worker and cannot work from

home, to work to prevent that household member from having to use public transport


Rachel Maclean:

The Department encourages compliance with social distancing guidelines set out by

Government. Where a key worker cannot work from home, a member of the same

household may drive them to work.

When using a private vehicle to make a journey that is essential, cars should only be

shared by members of the same household. Those who normally share a car with

people who are not members of their own household for a journey that is essential,

e.g. getting to work, should consider alternatives such as walking, cycling and public

transport where you maintain a distance of 2 metres from others.

Travel: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak,

whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a

specific support package to (a) protect jobs in and (b) support the travel industry.




Kelly Tolhurst:

The Chancellor has set out unprecedented support for workers - including those in

the travel sector - to protect them against the current economic emergency. This

includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-Employed Income

Support Scheme.

These measures, and others available through the Government’s comprehensive

support package, have been designed to ensure that companies of any size receive

the help they need to get through this difficult time. Government is committed to

helping the travel industry through this crisis and beyond.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an

estimate of the number of jobs at risk from the potential collapse of the UK travel industry

as a result of the cessation of international travel in response to the covid-19 pandemic.

Kelly Tolhurst:

No estimate has yet been made on the number of jobs at risk in the travel industry as

a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

We are aware that the coronavirus outbreak and related travel advice is significantly

impacting all aspects of the travel industry. We are in close contact with stakeholders

to monitor the situation. Our national priority is containing the spread of the virus. As

soon as it is safe to do so, we will be encouraging people to book holidays and

support travel companies once again.

The Chancellor has set out unprecedented support for business and workers -

including those in the travel sector - to protect them against the current economic

emergency.

TREASURY


Dan Jarvis: [38915]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of

the potential merits of providing additional financial support to the aviation sector during

the covid-19 outbreak and making that support contingent on airline companies

committing to taking steps to (a) increase wages in line with the National Living Wage, (b)

offer furlough where possible and (c) commit to, and plan for, further emission-reduction

targets.

Steve Barclay:

The Government recognises the challenging times facing the aviation sector as a

result of COVID-19 and the Chancellor wrote to the aviation sector on 24 March to

set out the Government’s position and the support measures available. Given the




significant importance of the aviation sector to our economy and economic recovery,

the Government is prepared to enter negotiations with individual companies seeking

bespoke support as a last resort, having exhausted other options. However further

taxpayer support would only be possible if all commercial avenues have been fully

explored, including raising further capital from existing investors and discussing

arrangements with financial stakeholders.

The Government has announced a package of measures, including the Coronavirus

Job Retention Scheme, which help firms to retain employees. This Scheme will allow

businesses to put employees on temporary leave, with the Government paying cash

grants of 80% of their wages up to a cap of £2,500 per month, providing the business

keeps the person employed.

The Department for Transport are planning to consult to update the Government’s

position on aviation and climate change. It is critical that we consider how the aviation

sector can play its part in delivering our net zero ambitions.

Business: Costs


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has plans to provide support to

people that are self-employed for fixed business costs.

Jesse Norman:

The Government has announced unprecedented support for business and workers to

protect them against the current economic emergency.

The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will provide grants to those

who are self-employed, or members of partnerships, worth 80% of their trading

profits/partnership trading profits, up to a maximum of £2,500 per month. The value of

the grant is based on a 3-year average of trading/partnership trading profits, from the

tax years 2016-17 to 2018-19. SEISS is available to those who generate majority of

their income from self-employment and who earn less than £50k.

Self-employed individuals may also benefit from other support available, including:

• A 12-month business rates holiday for all eligible retail, leisure and hospitality

businesses in England

• Small business grant funding of £10,000 for all business in receipt of small

business rate relief or rural rate relief

• The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS)

• VAT deferral for up to 12 months

• The Time To Pay scheme, through which individuals in financial distress, and with

outstanding tax liabilities, can receive support with their tax affairs

• Protection for commercial leaseholders against automatic forfeiture for non-

payment until 30 June 2020



• A 3-month mortgage holiday for homeowners

The Business Support website provides further information about how businesses

can access the support that has been made available, who is eligible, when the

schemes open and how to apply: https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-

business-support.

Details of the range of support for individuals affected by COVID-19 is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-for-those-affected-by-covid-

19/support-for-those-affected-by-covid-19.

Business: Loans


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to take steps to protect

businesses from high interest rate loans offered to them by banks that wish to avoid using

the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme during the covid-19 outbreak.

John Glen:

The government has set out an unprecedented package of support for all businesses

affected by this crisis, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

On 3 April, the Chancellor extended the eligibility of the scheme so that all viable

small businesses affected by Covid-19, and not just those viable businesses unable

to secure regular commercial financing, are now eligible if the lender believes they

will need finance to see them through these unprecedented times. This exceptional

support is designed to enable all long-term viable businesses experiencing difficulties

as a result of the coronavirus outbreak to access finance, if external finance is the

right answer.

All individual lending decisions, whether under CBILS or outside of this, remain at the

discretion of lenders.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Dan Jarvis: [37672]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to provide

financial support to small care companies that are not eligible for the Government's Small

Business Grant during the covid-19 outbreak.

Steve Barclay:

Small care companies and other businesses which are not eligible for the Small

Business Grant Fund should still be able to benefit from other measures in the

Government’s unprecedented package of support for business, including:

• An option to defer VAT payments by up to twelve months;

• The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, now extended to cover all

businesses including those which would be able to access commercial credit;

https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support



https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-for-those-affected-by-covid-19/support-for-those-affected-by-covid-19






• The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, to support businesses with their wage

bills;

• The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, to provide support to the self-

employed.

Small care companies will also be assisted by the measures set out in the

Government’s Care Action Plan, including increased testing of care users and

workers and improvements to PPE supply.

Carers: Protective Clothing

Dan Jarvis: [37677]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans his Department has to temporarily

suspend VAT on Personal Protective Equipment for care companies and providers during

the outbreak of covid-19.

Jesse Norman:

The Government has already waived import taxes on crucial medical equipment

coming to the UK; allowing for more protective clothing, tests and ventilators to get to

those on the frontline protecting people and the NHS.

Personal Protection Equipment (including surgical masks and gloves) purchased by

charitable welfare organisations providing services to disabled people, such as care

homes, is zero-rated when purchased using either donations or associated charitable

funds.

Cash Dispensing

Chris Elmore: [38009]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to support the ATM

industry during the covid-19 outbreak.

John Glen:

The Government has announced unprecedented support for public services, workers

and businesses to protect against the current economic emergency. The Government

is monitoring the impact measures are having and keeps all policies under review.

To ensure that people continue to be able to access their cash during the Covid-19

outbreak, the Government continues to work closely with the cash industry and

regulators.

LINK has existing commitments to protect free-to-use ATMs that are 1 kilometre or

further from the next free-to-use ATM or Post Office, and several of its members have

recently pledged to replace these protected ATMs should they close in the next 12

months.

The Government-established Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) is closely

monitoring developments in ATM provision. The PSR regulates LINK, the scheme

which runs the UK’s ATM network, and has used its powers to hold LINK to account




over LINK’s commitments to preserve the broad geographic spread of the ATM

network.

Cash Dispensing: Fees and Charges


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to maintain free access

to cash withdrawals during the covid-19 outbreak.

John Glen:

The Government recognises the importance of cash to the daily lives of millions of

people across the UK, particularly to those in vulnerable groups and individuals who

may be self-isolating.

The Government is working closely with the cash industry and regulators to ensure

that people can continue to access their cash. Customers can continue to use ATMs

or cash machines as normal for cash withdrawals and balance enquiries.

LINK, the scheme that runs the UK’s largest ATM network, has existing

arrangements in place to protect free-to-use ATMs that do not have another free-to-

use ATM or Post Office counter within 1 kilometre. LINK is also supporting the

viability of remote ATMs with premium fees paid to ATM deployers.

The Financial Conduct Authority is monitoring the situation closely to ensure that

regulated firms are providing clear information about the solutions that they offer to

help customers make payments.

Child Benefit


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government has plans to review the

high income child benefit charge in response to the covid-19 outbreak.

Jesse Norman:

The Government introduced the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) from

January 2013 to ensure that support is targeted at those who need it most. HICBC

applies to anyone with an individual income over £50,000, who receives Child Benefit

or whose partner receives it, regardless of the make-up of their household. The

charge increases gradually for taxpayers with incomes between £50,000 and

£60,000.

The Government has no current plans to review HICBC but, as with all elements of

tax policy, keeps this under review.

The Government understands that COVID-19 is having a financial impact on

individuals. Those who have claimed Child Benefit but have opted out of receiving

payments so they did not need to return any HICBC liability, can opt back in to start

getting Child Benefit payments.




In addition, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have set up the COVID-19 helpline

for anyone who is having financial difficulties and concerned about their ability to

make a full payment of tax on time. HMRC can give people the time they need to pay,

by deferring payments and payment through instalments.

Conditions of Employment: Coronavirus


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that

companies do not put pressure on their employees to work when furloughed during the

covid-19 outbreak.

Jesse Norman:

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme forms part of a collective national effort to

protect people’s jobs.

To be eligible for the grant, when on furlough an employee cannot undertake work

for, or on behalf, of the employer or any linked or associated organisation. This

includes providing services or generating revenue.

Fraudulent claims risk the provision of public services and the protection of

livelihoods. Employees can play a vital role by reporting fraudulent claims to HMRC:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/customs-

excise-and-vat-fraud-reporting.


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether there is a tip-off hotline for employees

that have been asked to work by their employer when furloughed during the covid-19

outbreak.

Jesse Norman:


livelihoods, and employees can play a vital role by reporting fraudulent claims to

HMRC: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-

customs/contact/customs-excise-and-vat-fraud-reporting.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will further extend the start date of the

furlough scheme to employees who were on their employees payroll after the 19 March

2020 to enable people who started new jobs towards the end of March 2020 to be

furloughed; and if he will make a statement.


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential

merits of revising the 28 February deadline for new starter employees to ensure that

more people can access furlough payments.


https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/customs-excise-and-vat-fraud-reporting








To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of

the 28 February deadline for new starter employees on the financial security of people

who are ineligible due to that deadline.


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to support

people that have recently started their job, and were not on their employer's PAYE payroll

on 28 February 2020, and are therefore not eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention

Scheme.


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support is available for people who finished

their employment after 28 February 2020 but have been unable to take up new

employment due to the covid-19 outbreak and are not supported by any financial

package.

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: [37961]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to ensure

that all new starters including people who were due to be on payroll after 19 March 2020

are eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

Scott Mann: [38001]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government has made an

assessment of the potential merits for people who have changed jobs or who were made

redundant in March 2020 of extending the cut-off date for real time information

submissions in the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to 31 March 2020.

Jesse Norman:

On 15 April, the Government announced it would extend the cut-off date for the CJRS

to 19 March, to include employees whose payroll information was notified to HMRC

by 19 March. Processing claims for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme in cases

where HMRC did not have RTI data by 19 March would require much greater manual

handling by HMRC, which would significantly slow down the system while risking

substantial levels of fraud. It would also require greater resource for HMRC when

they are already under significant pressure to deliver the system designed. Those not

eligible for the scheme may be able to access the other support Government is

providing, including a package of temporary welfare measures and up to three

months’ mortgage payment holidays for those struggling with their mortgage

payments.

Dan Jarvis: [37668]


that businesses only grant their employees furlough according to Government guidance









Jesse Norman:

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme forms part of a collective national effort to

protect people’s jobs.

HMRC will check claims made through the scheme. Payments may be withheld or

need to be repaid in full to HMRC if the claim is based on dishonest or inaccurate

information or found to be fraudulent.

The Government expect the vast majority of employers to do the right thing, but

HMRC reserve the right to follow up on claims and take whatever action is necessary

if people abuse the CJRS scheme.


livelihoods. Employees can play a vital role by reporting fraudulent claims to HMRC:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/customs-

excise-and-vat-fraud-reporting


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to support

furloughed employees that were employed after 28 February 2020 and are not eligible for

the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

Jesse Norman:

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme eligibility cut-off date has been pushed back

from 28 February to 19 March, so that employers can claim for furloughed employees

that were on their PAYE payroll on or before 19 March 2020 and for whom HMRC

received an RTI submission notifying payment in respect of that employee on or

before the 19 March 2020. This means that employees who were originally ineligible

can now participate in the scheme.

Those not eligible may be able to access other Government support, including a

package of temporary welfare measures and up to three months’ mortgage payment

holidays for those struggling with their mortgage payments.


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has plans to take steps to

encourage companies to rehire and furlough employees that ceased work on or after 28

February 2020 to take up a new job which has fallen through as a result of covid-19.

Jesse Norman:

The eligibility cut-off date for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been

pushed back from 28 February, allowing employers to claim for furloughed

employees that were on their PAYE payroll on or before 19 March 2020 and for

whom HMRC received an RTI submission notifying payment in respect of that

employee on or before the 19 March 2020. This means that employees who were

originally ineligible can now participate in the scheme.

Employers can agree to re-employ individuals who stopped working for them after 28

February 2020 and place them on furlough. This applies even if they are not re-







employed until after 19 March 2020, as long as they were on the employer’s payroll

on or before 28 February 2020. Use of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is at

the discretion of the employer. If a firm chooses not to do this, individuals may be

able to access the other support Government is providing, including a package of

temporary welfare measures and up to three-month mortgage payment holidays for

those struggling with their mortgage payments.

Afzal Khan: [37906]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many businesses have successfully made

claims under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme since that scheme has been

established.

Jesse Norman:

Applications for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) opened on Monday

20th April. As of Sunday 26th April HMRC had received about 512,000 claims with a

total value of about £4.5bn.

This is a new scheme and HMRC are currently working through the analysis they will

be able to provide based on the data available. HMRC will make the timescales for

publication and the types of data available in due course.

Afzal Khan: [37907]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the businesses that have

successfully made claims under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, (a) from which

sectors those claims have been made and (b) what the average earnings of employees

claimed for has been.

Jesse Norman:

Applications for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) opened on Monday

20th April. As of Thursday 23th April HMRC had received about 512,000 claims with a

total value of about £4.5bn.

This is a new scheme and HMRC are currently working through the analysis they will

be able to provide based on the data available. HMRC will make the timescales for

publication and the types of data available in due

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Day Care


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has plans to issue

further guidance for the childcare sector on the eligibility of their workers for the

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

Jesse Norman:

HM Treasury and HMRC have no specific plans to provide separate guidance for the

childcare sector on the eligibility of workers for the Coronavirus Job Retention

Scheme. However, the Department for Education has already published guidance for





the childcare sector relating to COVID-19, including the financial support available to

the sector. The Department for Education will keep this guidance under review and

will update it as necessary.

The online guidance provided by HMRC can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-

retention-scheme for employers, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-could-be-

covered-by-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme for employees, and the guidance

provided by the Department for Education can be found at:


for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-

support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care

Council Tax: Small Businesses


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to support small

businesses that pay council tax on their properties and not business rates during the

covid-19 outbreak.

Jesse Norman:

The Chancellor has set out a package of temporary, timely and targeted measures to

support public services, people and businesses through this period of disruption

caused by COVID-19.

All councils have their own local council tax support scheme which provides

reductions in council tax for low income residents. In addition, the Government has

provided councils with a £500m hardship fund to enable additional council tax relief.

This funding is in addition to support for businesses, including the Coronavirus

Business Interruption Loan Scheme. Those who are self-employed or a member of a

partnership may be eligible for a grant through the Self-Employment Income Support

Scheme.

Covid-19 Corporate Financing Facility


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential

merits of (a) removing or (b) lowering the credit rating eligibility threshold for the Covid

Corporate Financing Facility to enable larger corporates without the requisite credit rating

to gain access to that scheme.

Steve Barclay:

The facility is open to firms that can demonstrate they were in sound financial health

prior to the shock, allowing the Government to look through temporary impacts on

firms’ balance sheets and cash flows from the shock itself. If a firm believes it is the

equivalent of investment grade, there are now two ways in which a firm can

demonstrate this in order to be eligible for the CCFF:




https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-could-be-covered-by-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme










• The company should speak to their bank, and if their bank’s advice is that the firm

was viewed internally as investment grade as of 1st March, they should contact the

Bank of England ([email protected]). The BoE will then

draw on a range of information, including banks’ internal ratings of a firm, to check

whether the firm is equivalent to investment grade.

• The company or their bank can speak to the major credit ratings agencies to secure

an assessment of credit quality in a form that can be shared with the BoE and HMT.

Credit ratings agencies have been primed to process these assessments much more

quickly than they normally take.

The CCFF is just one of a number of schemes; and the government has also

launched the CBILS and CLBILs schemes, as well as making VAT deferral available,

and protecting commercial leaseholders against automatic forfeiture for non-payment.

Together the CBILS, CLBILS and CCFF ensure almost all viable UK businesses can

apply for a government backed loan.

Credit Unions: Coronavirus


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with

representatives of the credit union sector on the challenges for the sector during the

covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.

John Glen:

I am aware of the vital role that credit unions play in supporting the financial wellbeing

of their communities as sources of affordable credit. On Tuesday 21 April I wrote to

credit union trade bodies to thank frontline credit union staff for their efforts to

continue to provide essential services to their members.

I am engaging with representatives from the credit union sector through the

Consumer Finance Forum and Financial Inclusion Policy Forum, which are bringing

financial services and consumer group representatives together to discuss how to

best support people, including credit union members, through this period. HMT

officials are also working closely with the Prudential Regulation Authority, Financial

Conduct Authority and sector representatives to monitor the impact of the disruption

caused by COVID-19 on credit unions and their members.

Fair4All Finance, the independent body set up by Government to distribute dormant

assets funding to support financial inclusion, has set up a £5 million resilience fund to

support credit unions and community development finance institutions in England.

Dental Services: Government Assistance

Dan Jarvis: [37676]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to provide

further financial support to private dental practices that are not eligible for business rates

relief or the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.




Steve Barclay:

The Government has set out a range of measures which will provide further financial

support to private dental practices that are not eligible for business rates relief or the

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

If they meet the criteria, private dentists who are self-employed could be eligible for

the Self-employment Income Support Scheme. Those who are employees and

receive a salary through a PAYE scheme could be eligible for the Coronavirus Job

Retention Scheme. All employed staff in dental practices, including support staff,

could also be eligible for this scheme.

This is on top of other support available to private businesses, such as tax deferrals.

Digital Technology: Skilled Workers

Julie Elliott: [38914]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak and the

increased reliance on online services during that outbreak, what discussions he has had

with the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on the adequacy of

Government funding for digital skills.

Steve Barclay:

HMT and DCMS ministers meet frequently to cover a range of issues as part of the

normal process of policy development and delivery.

The government recognises that new measures taken to protect against Covid-19

mean there will be an increased reliance on digital services. This is why the

government is working with FutureDotNow, a coalition of companies and civil society

organisations to improve digital skills and support remote working.

The government has also announced that vulnerable and disadvantaged children

across England are to receive laptops, tablets and 4G routers to make remote

education accessible.

Dismissal: Coronavirus


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to

amend Section 98 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 to require employers to justify their

decision to dismiss an employee rather than place them on furlough during the covid-19

outbreak.

Jesse Norman:

The purpose of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) is to help firms to

keep their workers in employment. However, choosing to participate in the CJRS is

ultimately at the discretion of employers, and they will not be required to justify their

decision to dismiss an employee rather than to place them on furlough.




Employee Ownership

Neil Gray: [37703]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish a response to EDM 268 on Fair

tax and employee share ownership.

Jesse Norman:

The administration of the tax system is a matter for HM Revenue and Customs, who

have indicated that they are in dialogue with the taxpayer mentioned in EDM 268; it

would not be appropriate for Treasury ministers to comment on the specific case

raised by the EDM.

Farmers: Universal Credit


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support his Department is providing to

farmers in (a) Shropshire and (b) the UK that are ineligible for universal credit as a result

of their level of savings.

Jesse Norman:

Farmers in Shropshire and across the UK can benefit from the unprecedented

package of measures announced by the Government to protect people and

businesses against the current economic emergency. This includes £330 billion of

government-backed and guaranteed loans through the Coronavirus Business

Interruption Loan Schemes, a Self-Employment Income Support Scheme to help self-

employed individuals affected by the outbreak, and a Coronavirus Job Retention

Scheme to help businesses keep millions of people in employment.

Universal Credit is not available to people with capital over £16,000, to ensure

support is targeted at those who most need it. However, if self-employed claimants

have savings in their account that are to be used for business purposes, those will

not be counted towards their capital limit. Claimants should make this clear in their

Universal Credit application and online journal, and may be asked to prove it.

Government Securities: Coronavirus


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with Cabinet

colleagues on the potential merits of introducing a Corona Bond scheme similar to War

Bonds issued during previous wars.



merits of introducing a Corona Bond scheme similar to War Bonds.

John Glen:

At present, the UK Government does not have any plans to introduce a special

Coronavirus bond. Our core gilt programme is the most stable and cost-effective way






of raising finance to fund the day-to-day activities of Government. The Government

remains open to the introduction of new debt instruments, but would need to be

satisfied that any new instrument would meet value-for-money criteria, enjoy strong

and sustained demand in the long-term and be consistent with wider fiscal objectives.

The Government has recently announced an unprecedented package of measures to

provide the critical support needed by individuals, families and businesses, in the

wake of Covid-19. This will increase the Government’s immediate financing

requirements, which, as previously announced by the Chancellor, will be fully funded

by additional borrowing through the government’s normal debt management

operations. In response to this, an adjustment to the DMO’s gilt issuance plans for

April 2020 was published on 31 March 2020 and, additionally, a revision to the

DMO’s gilt financing remit for May-July 2020 was announced on 23 April. A further

update to the DMO’s financing remit and planned issuance schedule for 2020-21 will

be announced on Monday 29 June 2020. This all focuses on existing debt financing

instruments.

Investment Income


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of the

number of people who draw dividends in lieu of a salary from a Limited Company in the

UK.

Jesse Norman:

HMRC administrative data does not cover the sources of dividend income. It is

therefore not possible to determine accurately the number of individuals who have

taken dividend income in lieu of a salary from Limited Companies.

HMRC publish statistics on the number of taxpayers receiving dividend income and

the amounts received for tax years from 2010-11 to 2017-18. These statistics do not

distinguish between dividends paid as salary, and dividends received as returns from

investments. These statistics are published here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/investment-income-2010-to-2011.

Loans


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak, whether

he has plans to review the regulations of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 to allow (a)

businesses and (b) financial providers to negotiate the terms of loans.

John Glen:

The Government is committed to doing whatever it takes to get our nation through the

impacts of COVID-19 and, as part of this, is continually assessing ways of supporting

the financial sector, where evidence shows that interventions are required. This

includes the Consumer Credit Act 1974. The Government is working closely with the


https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/investment-income-2010-to-2011

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/investment-income-2010-to-2011



Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the financial sector on this issue to assess

whether further action is necessary.

Monetary Policy


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons he did not include a climate

objective for the Bank of England monetary policy committee in his remit letter of 11

March 2020; and if he will make it his policy that an objective is set for UK monetary

policy to support the net zero emissions target set out in the Climate Change Act 2008.

John Glen:

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England has the primary

objective, set out in law, of maintaining price stability. As a broad macroeconomic

objective, this applies to the economy as a whole and not to specific sectors.

In the Green Finance Strategy, the Government announced that it will ensure that the

need for the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), the Financial Policy Committee

(FPC) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) have regard to the COP21 Paris

Agreement when considering how to advance their objectives and discharge their

functions.

As such, the remit and recommendations for the Financial Policy Committee –

published in March 2020 – now sets out the responsibilities of the FPC regarding

climate change in relation to the achievement of its statutory objectives. Similarly, the

government remains committed to including these considerations in the next remit

letters for the FCA and PRA that will be issued at an appropriate opportunity under

this Parliament.

Mortgages: Coronavirus

Damien Moore: [37743]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with mortgage

providers on automatically extending mortgage offer deadlines for people unable to

exchange contracts for a property purchase due to the covid-19 outbreak.

John Glen:

Following discussions with Government, UK Finance announced on 26 March that

mortgage lenders will give customers who have exchanged contracts the option to

extend their mortgage offer for up to 3 months to enable them to move at a later date.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has also issued

guidance for home moving during the COVID-19 outbreak which advises that all

parties should work to delay the exchange of contracts until after the period where

stay-at-home measures to fight COVID-19 are in place. The guidance can be viewed

in full here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/government-advice-on-home-moving-during-the-

coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak



https://www.gov.uk/guidance/government-advice-on-home-moving-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak





To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to support people facing

financial difficulties as a result of the covid-19 outbreak that will not benefit from the

recent interest rate reduction by the Bank of England as their mortgage rate is

determined by LIBOR.

John Glen:

Banks and building societies are ready and able to support consumers impacted by

COVID-19. On the 17 March, the Chancellor announced on behalf of the sector that

banks and building societies will offer a 3-month ‘mortgage holiday’ for borrowers that

are struggling with their repayments. This forbearance measure will enable affected

borrowers to defer their mortgage payments for up to 3 months. This measure has

also been extended to Buy to Let landlords struggling as a result of their tenants

being unable to meet their rental repayments.

Lenders have also agreed to a three-month moratorium on residential and buy to let

possession action to start immediately to provide customers with reassurance that

they will not have their homes repossessed at this difficult time.

The FCA have also published guidance on payment holidays and repossession

action for firms that engage in mortgage lending activities. You can view the guidance

here:

https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/mortgages-coronavirus-consumers

Decisions concerning the pricing of loans, including the level of interest charged,

remain commercial decisions for lenders, and the Government does not seek to

intervene in these decisions. Many lenders have chosen to pass on the recent base

rate cut to their customers but this will not necessarily apply to all mortgage products.

Non-domestic Rates


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the

potential merits of making (a) market traders and (b) other small businesses which pay

business rates collectively eligible for Business Rates Grants.

Jesse Norman:

The Small Business Grants Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund

have been designed to support the smallest businesses, and smaller businesses in

the some of the sectors which have been hit hardest by measures taken to prevent

the spread of COVID-19. The two schemes have been tied to the business rates

system and rating assessments, which together provide a framework for Local

Authorities to make payments as quickly as possible. Businesses in the business

rates system are also likely to face particularly high fixed costs, such as fixed rents.

In some shared spaces, individual users have their own rating assessments and may

therefore be eligible for the grants schemes. In these cases, Local Authorities are






urging landlords and management agents to support them in ensuring that the grants

reach the correct ratepayers.

Businesses operating in shared spaces which do not have their own ratings

assessment are not eligible for the grants schemes. Extending eligibility to these

businesses would not be practicable as it would require Local Authorities to create an

entirely new system and to put in place appropriate anti-fraud checks. This would

significantly increase Local Authorities’ workloads at a time when they are already

working under pressure to support struggling businesses as quickly as possible.

Non-domestic Rates: Coronavirus


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support he is providing to (a) small

businesses and (b) market traders who pay business rates collectively and are ineligible

for business rate grants during the covid-19 outbreak.

Jesse Norman:

Market traders and other small businesses which are not eligible for the Small

Business Grant Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund may benefit

from other measures in the Government’s unprecedented package of support for

business, including:



businesses, including those which would be able to access commercial credit;


bills;


employed.

Tulip Siddiq: [37804]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether businesses with A2 category premises

are eligible for the business rates holiday.

Jesse Norman:

Some A2 category premises will benefit from the business rates holiday for the retail,

hospitality and leisure sectors. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local

Government published updated guidance for those eligible properties on 25 March.

A range of further measures to support all businesses, including those not eligible for

the business rates holiday, have also been made available. These include the

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help firms continue to keep people in

employment, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme offering loans of

up to £5 million for SMEs through the British Business Bank, and the deferral of VAT

payments for this quarter.




Orchestras: Coronavirus

Barbara Keeley: [37547]


merits of extending Orchestra Tax Relief to cover claims for costs incurred on cancelled

concerts due to the covid-19 outbreak up to the point at which the concert would have

taken place.

Jesse Norman:

The orchestra tax relief legislation allows for the ‘abandonment’ of a concert due to

circumstances outside of the company’s control. Cancellations of concerts because

of COVID-19 would fall within ‘abandonment’. Claims may be made for qualifying

expenditure incurred up to the abandonment of a concert or concert series and where

an orchestra company has a legal obligation, such as a contractual one, to make the

payments for a cancelled concert. HM Treasury keeps all tax reliefs under review.

The Government has also announced an unprecedented package of support for

businesses and individuals affected by COVID-19. This includes the Coronavirus Job

Retention Scheme and Self-Employed Income Support Scheme delivered by HMRC.

Further information about HMRC’s dedicated COVID-19 support can be found by

visiting the GOV.UK website.

PAYE

Harriett Baldwin: [37633]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people on the PAYE system changed

employers in each calendar month during 2018-19.

Harriett Baldwin: [37634]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of

people on the PAYE system who voluntarily left their place of employment to start a new

PAYE job between 28 February 2020 and 23 March 2020.

Jesse Norman:

Unfortunately, due to data constraints, the requested analysis could not be completed

by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) within the required timeframe. HMRC are

therefore not able to provide information on individuals who changed employers.

Personal Income


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the

potential merits of introducing a universal basic income.

Steve Barclay:

There are fundamental problems with the reality of a Universal Basic Income (UBI). A

flat rate UBI would not take into account people’s circumstances, and the additional






costs faced by some individuals. Therefore, a UBI would not target support where it is

most needed.

To protect people’s incomes during the Covid-19 crisis, the Government has

announced alternative measures, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, and additional support for low

income families which can be delivered quickly and effectively through the existing

welfare system. This includes increasing the Universal Credit (UC) standard

allowance, the Working Tax Credit basic element, and the rates used to calculate

Housing Benefit and the UC housing element. At a time when the Department for

Work and Pensions and HM Revenue and Customs are experiencing unprecedented

demand, we have rightly prioritised the safety and stability of the existing tax and

benefit systems.

Public Finance: Coronavirus


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to the

public purse of the measures implemented to deal with the financial effect of the covid-19

outbreak; and what estimate he has made of the timescale for repaying the level of

borrowing required for implementing those measures.

Steve Barclay:

The Government has announced unprecedented support for public services,

business and workers to protect against the current economic emergency. These

steps are necessary to ensure that the country, economy and public finances are

stronger in the longer-term.

Precise costs are difficult to estimate at present due to a range of factors. For

example, costs are heavily dependent on the impact of the crisis on the wider

economy and the level of scheme take up.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) have published a coronavirus reference

scenario which provides insight into the potential fiscal costs under a particular set of

economic circumstances. In their scenario, the OBR estimate the direct cost of

Government decisions to be £99.7 billion. The OBR note that the measures taken

should help limit the long-term damage to the economy and public finances – and the

costs of inaction would have been higher.

A full assessment of the economic and fiscal position will be made at the next Budget

alongside an updated OBR forecast.

Radio: Local Broadcasting



that local radio stations residing in multi occupancy business premises are able to access




funds from the Small Business Grant scheme during the outbreak so they can continue

broadcasting to their local communities.

Steve Barclay:




the spread of Covid-19. The two schemes have been tied to the business rates




In some cases, businesses operating in multi-occupancy spaces will have their own

rating assessments and may therefore be eligible for the grants schemes. In these

cases, Local Authorities are urging landlords and management agents to support

them in ensuring that the grants reach the correct ratepayers.

Businesses operating in multi-occupancy spaces which do not have their own ratings






Small businesses which are not eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund and the

Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund should still be able to benefit from other

measures in the Government’s unprecedented package of support for business,

including:





bills;


employed.

Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund

Emma Hardy: [37852]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Government guidance

entitled Covid-19 support for businesses, what plans he has to enable mobile hospitality

businesses that operate from property classed as storage for business rate purposes to

access the support that is available to the rest of the hospitality sector.



Steve Barclay:

The Government has launched two grants schemes to support small businesses

during this difficult time.

• The Small Business Grant Fund provides eligible businesses with a £10,000 grant

per property, for each property in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) or

Rural Rates Relief (RRR).

• The Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund provides eligible businesses with a

£10,000 grant per property, for each property used for these purposes with a rateable

value of £15,000 or less and which is not in receipt of SBRR or RRR. Businesses are

also eligible for a £25,000 grant per property, for each property used for these

purposes with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000.

These schemes have been designed to support the smallest businesses, and smaller

businesses in some of the sectors which have been hit hardest by the measures

taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

In order to ensure that payments can be made as quickly as possible to businesses

in need, the schemes have been designed based on property classifications. So only

public-facing properties used for retail, hospitality, or leisure services are eligible for

the specific grants for those sectors.

This is to keep the schemes simple for Local Authorities (LAs) to deliver in order to

ensure that support can reach businesses in need quickly. It would be difficult to

assess whether storage units are used for retail, hospitality, or leisure services as

opposed to other uses. LAs would need to create an entirely new system and to put

in place appropriate anti-fraud checks. This would significantly increase LAs’

workloads at a time when they are already working under pressure to support

struggling businesses as quickly as possible.

However, small businesses which are not eligible for these schemes should be able

to benefit from other measures in the Government’s unprecedented package of

support for business, including:


• The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS);

• The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS).

The Business Support website provides further information about how businesses

can access the support that has been made available, who is eligible, when the

schemes open and how to apply - https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-

business-support/


Revenue and Customs: Staff

Martyn Day: [37780]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2020 to

Question 19900, on Revenue and Customs: Staff, how many staff based at the Bathgate

Pyramids Business Centre he plans to redeploy to the Edinburgh Regional Centre.

Jesse Norman:

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have worked through redeployment options for

colleagues at Bathgate. HMRC continue to anticipate that about 70% of staff at

Bathgate will be redeployed to Edinburgh, or to an alternative office, or to another

Government department.

Roads: Freight

Dan Jarvis: [37673]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial support he plans to make

available to road haulage businesses which employ key workers and who are not eligible

for Government Small Business Grants.


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial support is available to road

haulage firms during the covid-19 outbreak.

Steve Barclay:

The Government has already announced a range of measures to support all

businesses, including hauliers, such as the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan

Scheme, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-Employment Income

Support Scheme. The Department for Transport is continuing to engage with the

haulage industry to understand the impact of Covid-19 on the sector.

Self-employed: Coronavirus


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has plans to provide financial

support to self-employed people that earn up to £60,000 a year and are therefore not

eligible for the covid-19 Self Employed Income Support Scheme.

Jesse Norman:

Some 95% of people who receive the majority of their income from self-employment

should be eligible to benefit from the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme

(SEISS). The scheme, including the £50,000 threshold, is designed to ensure it is

targeted at those who need it most, and who are most reliant on their self-

employment income.

Those with average profits above £50,000 could still benefit from other support.

Individuals may have access to a range of grants and loans depending on their

circumstances. The SEISS supplements the significant support already announced






for UK businesses, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

and the deferral of tax payments. More information about the full range of business

support measures is available at www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-

support/.


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to extend financial support for

the self-employed to include people that make contributions through PAYE.

Jesse Norman:

The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme provides support for eligible

individuals with trading profits. These profits are reported on Self-Assessment tax

returns.

Employers paying individuals through PAYE can access the Coronavirus Job

Retention Scheme. This also applies to salaried individuals who are directors of their

own company.

The self-employed can also access a wide range of other financial support, and more

information is available at www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-

support/.

Self-employed: Government Assistance


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support his Department provides to self-

employed people with an income of less than 50 per cent of their total monthly income as

a result of being in receipt of an armed forces pension.

Jesse Norman:

In order to qualify for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), more

than half of an individual’s income must come from self-employment. Those who do

not meet this criterion will not qualify for the scheme, although anyone requiring

support before the beginning of June should have access to other measures

appropriate to their individual circumstances. These measures include the relaxation

of the earnings rules in Universal Credit.

Self-employment Income Support Scheme


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Government's Self-

employment Income Support Scheme, if he will take steps to ensure that a loss of

earnings for self-employed women as a result of receiving maternity allowance is taken

into account when calculating average profits from their tax returns over the last three

years.

http://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/











To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that the self-

employment support scheme does not discriminate against claimants whose income

dropped in the applicable tax years as a result of (a) illness and (b) maternity leave; and

whether the average grant will take account of self-employment profit that is less than half

of one the tax years.

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: [37888]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that self-

employed people who have recently taken (a) maternity leave and (b) extended sick

leave and make a claim for support through the Self-employment Income Support

Scheme do not have their average earnings calculated in a way that will disadvantage

their payment.

Jesse Norman:

The new Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will help those with lost

trading profits due to COVID-19. It means the UK will have one of the most generous

self-employed COVID-19 support schemes in the world.

The new scheme will allow eligible individuals to claim a taxable grant worth 80% of

their trading profits up to a maximum of £2,500 per month for 3 months. Self-

employed individuals, including members of partnerships, are eligible if they have

submitted their Income Tax Self Assessment tax return for the tax year 2018-19,

continued to trade and have lost trading/partnership trading profits due to COVID-19.

Taking maternity leave, paternity leave, or sick leave does not mean that the trade

has ceased and therefore should not affect a person’s eligibility for the SEISS as long

as the individual intends to return to the trade after the period of leave.

To qualify for the SEISS, an individual’s self-employed trading profits must be less

than £50,000, with more than half of their income from self-employment. Delivering a

scheme for the self-employed is a very difficult operational challenge, particularly in

the time available. There is no way for HM Revenue & Customs to know the reasons

why an individual’s profits may have dropped in earlier years from Self Assessment

returns.

However, to help those with volatile income in 2018-19 for whatever reason, an

individual is eligible for the SEISS if their trading profits are no more than £50,000

and at least half of their total income, for either the tax year 2018-19 or the average of

the tax years 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19. If eligible, they will receive a taxable

grant based on their average trading profit over the three tax years, including in years

where their trading profits were less than half their total income.

Martyn Day: [37785]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will enable people have become self-

employed recently to submit their income tax self assessment tax return for 2019-20 to

allow them to participate in the self-employed income support scheme due to loss of

income caused by the covid-19 outbreak.






To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he plans to take to support people

that are recently self-employed and did not submit a self assessment tax return for the tax

year 2018-19 under the Government’s Self-employment Income Support Scheme.

Jesse Norman:

It has not been possible to include those who began trading after the 2018-19 tax

year in the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme. This was a very difficult

decision and it was taken for practical reasons. It is correct that individuals can now

submit Income Tax Self Assessment returns for 2019-20, but there would be

significant risks for the public purse if the Government relied on these returns for the

scheme. HMRC would not be able to distinguish genuine self-employed individuals

who started trading in 2019-20 from fake applications by fraudulent operators and

organised criminal gangs seeking to exploit the SEISS. The Government cannot

expose the tax system to these risks.

However, those who entered self-employment after April 2019 may still be eligible for

other support. For example, the self-employed can benefit from the Government’s

relaxation of the earnings rules (known as the Minimum Income Floor) in Universal

Credit. Individuals may also have access to a range of grants and loans depending

on their circumstances, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan

Scheme and the deferral of tax payments. More information about the full range of

business support measures is available at www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-

business-support/.

Self-employment Income Support Scheme: Entertainers


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether artists that have transitioned from

receiving the majority of their earnings through PAYE to receiving the majority of their

earnings through self-employment in the last three years will be classified as self-

employed in respect of the Coronavirus Self-employment Income Support Scheme from

the date they began to receive the majority of their earnings through self-employment.

Jesse Norman:

The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced new support for the self-employed on

26 March 2020.

The new Self-Employed Income Support Scheme will help those with lost trading

profits due to COVID-19. It will allow eligible individuals to claim a taxable grant worth

80% of their trading profits up to a maximum of £2,500 per month for the next 3

months. This may be extended if needed and is one of the most generous self-

employed support schemes in the world.

To qualify, an individual’s self-employed trading profits must be less than £50,000

and more than half of their income must come from self-employment. Some 95% of

people who receive most of their income from self-employment could benefit from this

Scheme.







More information about the Self-employment Income Support Scheme, including the

full eligibility criteria and how to claim, is available at www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-

grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-employment-income-support-scheme.

Self-employment Income Support Scheme: Holiday Accommodation

Sir Desmond Swayne: [37375]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish (a) guidance and (b) FAQs

online to clarify the eligibility of furnished holiday lettings businesses for the Self-

Employment Income Support Scheme.

Jesse Norman:

The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced new support for the self-employed on

26 March 2020.

The new Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will help those with lost

trading profits due to COVID-19. To qualify, an individual’s self-employed trading

profits must be no more than £50,000 and more than half of their income must come

from self-employment. Some 95% of people who receive most of their income from

self-employment could benefit from this Scheme.

Income from furnished holiday lets is not considered to be ‘trading profit’, but is

property related income which is not included in the scope of SEISS.

Guidance on how HMRC work out total income and trading profits for SEISS has

been published on GOV.UK and is updated regularly. The guidance can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-

employment-income-support-scheme

Small Business Grants Fund

Nick Fletcher: [37854]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will make an assessment of

the potential merits of enabling businesses that have multiple premises in different local

authority areas to access the £10,000 small business grant funding.

Steve Barclay:

The Small Business Grant Fund has been designed to support the smallest

businesses which have been hit hardest by the measures taken to prevent the spread

of Covid-19. The design of the scheme has been tied to existing eligibility for Small

Business Rates Relief and Rural Rates Relief, which together provide a

straightforward framework for Local Authorities to make payments as quickly as

possible. Any delay in the delivery of the grants schemes would be highly unwelcome

during this time of crisis, when it is vital that Local Authorities make payments to

hard-hit businesses as quickly as possible.

Under the Retail, Hospitality, and Leisure Grant Fund, properties operating in those

sectors with a rateable value of £15,000 or under can receive a £10,000 even if they

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-employment-income-support-scheme









are not eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rates Relief. This is

designed to help sectors which have been particularly hard hit by the closures

necessary to stop the spread of Covid-19.



that multiple businesses residing in multi occupancy business premises are able to

directly access funds from the Small Business Grants scheme during the covid-19

outbreak.

Steve Barclay:




the spread of Covid-19. The two schemes have been tied to the business rates




In some cases, businesses operating in multi-occupancy spaces will have their own

rating assessments and may therefore be eligible for the grants schemes. In these

cases, Local Authorities are urging landlords and management agents to support

them in ensuring that the grants reach the correct ratepayers.

Businesses operating in multi-occupancy spaces which do not have their own ratings






Small businesses which are not eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund and the

Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund should still be able to benefit from other

measures in the Government’s unprecedented package of support for business,

including:





bills;


employed.



Small Businesses: Coronavirus

Dan Jarvis: [37666]


the owners of small, limited businesses who are eligible for limited financial support

during the covid-19 outbreak due to receiving much of their usual income in dividends.


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to support

self-employed people who are registered via limited companies.


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial support his Department is

providing during the covid-19 outbreak to people that are paid through dividends rather

than a salary.


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial support is available during the

covid-19 outbreak to individuals who are a sole-person limited company.

Janet Daby: [38022]


company directors during the covid-19 outbreak who have previously paid themselves

through a combination of salary and dividends.

Jesse Norman:

Those who pay themselves a salary through their own company may be eligible to

claim for 80% of usual monthly wage costs, up to £2,500 a month, through the

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). The CJRS is available to employers,

including personal service companies, and individuals paying themselves a salary

through a PAYE scheme are eligible.

Income from dividends is a return on investment in the company, rather than wages,

and is not eligible for support. Under current reporting mechanisms it is not possible

for HM Revenue and Customs to distinguish between dividends derived from an

individual’s own company and dividends from other sources, and between dividends

in lieu of employment income and as returns from other corporate activity. Expanding

the scope would require HMRC to collect and verify new information. This would take

longer to deliver and put at risk the other schemes which the Government is

committed to delivering as quickly as possible.

Individuals who are not eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme might be

able to access the other support Government is providing, including the Coronavirus

Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the deferral of tax payments. More

information about the full range of business support measures is available at 

www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/









WORK AND PENSIONS

Burial: Costs

Stuart Anderson: [37747]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has plans to provide

financial support for burial costs to people in financial hardship with relatives who have

died as a result of covid-19.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial support her

Department is providing to low-income families to help towards the cost of funerals during


Mims Davies:

The Government provides support to bereaved families in a number of ways. The

Funeral Expenses Payments scheme provides a significant contribution towards the

cost of a simple, respectful funeral arranged by recipients of certain income based

benefits or tax credits. The scheme pays necessary burial and cremation costs in full,

as defined by legislation, plus up to £1000 for other expenses such as the cost of a

coffin, church and funeral director fees, which was increased from £700 on 8 April.

Scotland has a similar scheme, the Funeral Support Payment scheme. Support for

funeral costs for all young people under 18 is provided by the Children’s Funeral

Fund for England, with similar schemes in Scotland and Wales. Interest-free Social

Fund Budgeting Loans and Universal Credit Budgeting Advances can also be used

for funeral expenses. Further financial support is available through Bereavement

Support Payments which help working age people whose spouse or civil partner dies.

Employment and Support Allowance: Coronavirus

Mhairi Black: [37759]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to increase

Employment and Support Allowance during the covid-19 outbreak.

Justin Tomlinson:

We currently have no plans to increase Employment and Support Allowance above

its current rates.

We have announced a suite of measures that can be quickly and effectively

operationalised to benefit those facing the most financial disruption, such as

increasing the standard rate in Universal Credit by £86.67 per month (equivalent to

£20 per week) on top of the planned annual uprating. This additional increase means

claimants will be up to £1040 better off. We estimate 2.5m households on UC will

benefit straight away, as well as new claimants who become unemployed or whose

earnings or work hours decrease because of the outbreak. The Universal Credit IT

system is significantly more flexible than our legacy systems and uses different

technology from other DWP systems. The Department is experiencing significant





increased demand and the Government has to prioritise the safety and stability of the

benefits system overall.

We have also made a number of changes to legacy benefits like Employment and

Support Allowance (ESA) in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including increases

in entitlement. These new measures include:

• Providing more support for benefit claimants in the Private Rented Sector by

increasing Local Housing Allowance rates to the 30th percentile, helping to

alleviate affordability challenges. Those receiving Housing Benefit and legacy

benefits will benefit from this increase.

• Treating all ESA claimants who satisfy the conditions of entitlement and are

suffering from COVID-19 or who are required to self-isolate in line with government

guidance, including vulnerable individuals who have been advised by the NHS to

‘shield’ (stay at home for at least 12 weeks) because they are at high risk of severe

illness, as having limited capability for work, without the requirement to undergo a

Work Capability Assessment,

• Removing waiting days for ESA, so it will be payable from day one of the claim,

subject to the claimant satisfying the normal conditions of entitlement; and,

• Allowing disabled and sick claimants who cannot attend a reassessment for

Personal Independence Payments, Employment and Support Allowance or

Universal Credit to continue to receive their payments while their assessment is

rearranged.

Social Security Benefits

Drew Hendry: [38961]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of

the potential merits of increasing the benefit cap in line with increases in universal credit

to ensure additional support is available for families.

Mims Davies:

The Benefit Cap restores fairness between those receiving out-of-work benefits and

taxpayers in employment.

The Government has quickly and effectively introduced £6.5bn of measures that

benefit those facing the most severe financial disruption. DWP is experiencing

significant increased demand as such the safety and stability of the benefits system

must be prioritised.

Claimants can approach their Local Authority for a Discretionary Housing Payment if

they need additional help to meet rental costs.



Social Security Benefits: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to Public Health

England's guidance on social distancing and self-isolation, what assessment her

Department has made of the adequacy of financial support for people with no recourse to

public funds to enable them to follow that guidance.

Justin Tomlinson:

Access to DWP income-related benefits such as Universal Credit flows from an

individual’s immigration status. The Home Office determine whether persons granted

leave to enter or remain in the UK are eligible to access public funds.

Those unable to access DWP income-related benefits, such as Universal Credit, may

be eligible to access DWP contributions-based benefits, providing they meet eligibility

criteria.

Government measures to support workers and their families through Covid-19 are

also available for those who meet the eligibility criteria. These include the

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Self-employed Income Support Scheme and

Statutory Sick Pay.

Margaret Ferrier: [37721]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to re-

deploy staff of her Department to assist with processing new applications for social

security benefits during the covid-19 outbreak.

Mims Davies:

Our priority as a Department is ensuring people get their benefit payments and that

we can continue to support those who need us the most.

We are re-deploying over 10,000 staff to critical frontline services as well as recruiting

additional staff to support this priority.

State Retirement Pensions: Females

Kirsten Oswald: [39007]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her

Department has made of the effectiveness of the advertising campaigns notifying women

affected by changes to the age of eligibility for the state pension.

Guy Opperman:

Communications around the changes to State Pension age have been clear and

comprehensive. Since 1995, people have been notified with leaflets, an extensive

advertising campaign and individual letters. During 2012-13, the Department wrote to

individuals directly affected by the 2011 Act, informing them of the change to their

State Pension age (5.7 million letters sent). Between April 2000 and the end of

January 2020, the Department provided more than 33 million personalised State

Pension statements to people who requested them (either online or by telephone or





post; and based on both old and new State Pension rules). We continue to

encourage people to request an estimate, as part of their long-term financial

planning.

The workplace pension campaign continues to drive the positive benefits of saving

into a workplace pension, maintaining awareness and understanding, whilst the

Retirement Provision campaign encourages people to go and check their state

pension forecast online to better understand their retirement provision.

Statutory Sick Pay: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the covid-19

outbreak, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) temporary workers, (b)

people on zero and low hours contracts and (b) people that are self-employed may claim

Statutory Sick Pay.

Justin Tomlinson:

Gig workers or those on zero-hours contracts may be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay

(SSP) if they meet all eligibility criteria. However, SSP is just one part of our welfare

safety net and our wider government offer of support.

Many of those earning below £120 per week, who are not eligible for SSP, are

already in receipt of benefits. For those on Universal Credit, their award will rise if

their income falls.

Those who are not already in receipt of benefits may claim Universal Credit and/or

new style Employment and Support Allowance, depending on their individual

circumstances.

Self-employed people unable to work because they are directly affected by COVID-

19 or who are self-isolating will also be eligible for Contributory Employment and

Support Allowance which is now payable from the first day of sickness, rather than

the eighth.

Universal Credit

Mr Toby Perkins: [37583]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what formula her Department uses

to calculate universal credit payments for couples; and whether she has plans to review

that formula.

Will Quince:

The rate of standard allowance in universal credit for single claimants and couples is

set each year by the government after a review of the level of benefit that a claimant

may receive. The rates for universal credit were originally based on the

corresponding rates within Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment

and Support Allowance.




The standard rate in Universal Credit has been temporarily increased for the 20/21

tax year by £86.67 per month (equivalent to £20 per week) on top of the planned

annual uprating. This additional increase means claimants will be up to £1040 better

off.

Mhairi Black: [37726]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has plans

to make people that are self-employed and have pension savings exempt from the rules

on capital when applying for universal credit.

Mims Davies:

Regardless of employment status, any funds held in an occupational or personal

pension scheme are disregarded as capital in Universal Credit until the claimant

reaches the pension age of the scheme, or withdraws funds from the scheme early.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department

has made of the effect of upfront childcare costs under the childcare element of universal

credit on maternal employment rates.

Will Quince:

The Department has not made an assessment of the effect of upfront childcare costs

on maternal employment rates and it would require disproportionate costs to do so.

The Government recognises that high childcare costs can affect parents’ decisions to

take up paid work or increase their working hours. Working families claiming

Universal Credit can therefore reclaim up to 85 per cent of their eligible childcare

costs each month up to £646.35 for one child and £1,108.04 for two or more children.

Eligible claimants can also get help from the Flexible Support Fund with initial up-

front fees and advance costs as they move into work. Alternatively, help with upfront

costs may also be available through Budgeting Advances.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many couples had a claimant

who was receiving a carer element as part of universal credit between (a) May and

August 2019 and (b) September and December 2019.

Justin Tomlinson:

The available information on the number of households with a carer entitlement on

Universal Credit is published and can be found at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/

Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html

David Linden: [37976]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when her Department plans to

review the wording of system-generated letters to universal credit claimants.










Will Quince:

The Department has recently experienced a large increase in Universal Credit claims

as a result of COVID-19 outbreak and our priority is to ensure benefit payments are

made on time to provide financial support.

We recognise our claimants have a diverse range of circumstances and

requirements, so our system-generated letters are designed to be clear and easy to

understand. They can be supplied in alternative formats, such as large print or Braille,

which are best suited to an individual's circumstances where required. Contact details

are provided in each letter issued, allowing questions and/or queries to be directed to

the right team or person within the Department. This is in addition to the online

messaging function within the Universal Credit journal.

The Department maintains a range of standardised Universal Credit letters to ensure

claimants notifications are consistently and efficiently delivered. We regularly review

our communication products and are always seeking to improve how we engage with

our claimants.

Kate Osamor: [37989]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many universal credit claims

were closed after first payment as a result of a claimant not meeting their claimant

commitment having been awarded limited capability for work and work-related activity in

2019.

Justin Tomlinson:

The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at

disproportionate cost.

Universal Credit: Complaints

Chris Stephens: [R] [20528]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cases involving

universal credit claims have been (a) through her Department's complaints process, (b)

decided by an Independent Case Examiner and (c) referred to the Parliamentary and

Health Service Ombudsman.

Mims Davies:

[Holding answer 2 March 2020]: The Department has received a total of number of

39,187 Universal Credit complaints up to January 2020.

Details of the number of complaints concerning Universal Credit that have been

decided on by the Independence Case Examiner’s is 185 (please note the data is

only available from July 2016 to January 2020)

All ICE Reports signpost the complainant to the Parliamentary and Health Service

Ombudsman’s Office, via a Member of Parliament, in the event that they are

dissatisfied with the outcome of the ICE investigation. We do not hold information




about the number of complaints about Universal Credit which were subsequently

referred by an MP to the Ombudsman’s Office.

For context, the latest figures show that there are 3 million people on Universal Credit

as of 12 March 2020.

Universal Credit: Coronavirus


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what additional resources her

Department is allocating to ensure the timely processing of new claims for universal credit


Will Quince:

The Department is doing all we can to deal with exceptional levels of demand. Our

priority is ensuring people get their benefit payments and that we can continue to

support those who need them most. The Department has mobilised robust business

continuity plans to ensure we can do just that. We are already redeploying 10,000

staff from other parts of DWP and are also recruiting additional staff to assist with the

processing of claims, including support from other government departments and the

private sector.

We have also introduced new processes to ease pressure on waiting times for

identity verification over the phone and other processes. People making new claims

for Universal Credit no longer need to call the Department as part of the process.

Once they have completed their online application we will call them if we need to

check any of the information they have given us

The Universal Credit system is facing extraordinary pressures exerted by the

unprecedented volume of new claims, but it is standing up to this challenge. The

agility of the system means that capacity can be built rapidly and this has enabled it

to cope in the face of demand which would have overwhelmed the complex legacy

benefit regime.

Universal Credit: EU Nationals

Hilary Benn: [38426]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many EU citizens holding (a)

settled status and (b) pre-settled status have had their applications for universal credfit

refused since 1 March 2020.

Justin Tomlinson:

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur

disproportionate cost.




Universal Credit: Stoke On Trent


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of

the ability of claimants in (a) Stoke-on-Trent, (b) Kidsgrove and (c) Talke to access

universal credit online.

Will Quince:

The Department has taken a ‘digital-first’ approach to providing and delivering

services, ensuring we make best use of technology to deliver a modern and effective

working-age welfare system. This allows our staff to concentrate on those people

who require additional support through different channels.

Our Universal Credit Claimant Survey, found that 98 per cent of claimants have

internet access and did claim online, and the majority of those said they found the

claim process overall to be straightforward and this can be accessed at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-full-service-claimant-

survey

For those that are still unable to access or use digital services, or are not able to

travel, assistance to make and maintain their claim is available via the Freephone

Universal Credit helpline – which is clearly displayed on GOV.UK. In addition,

Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland have been delivering the ‘Help to

Claim’ service since April 2019. The Citizens Advice ‘Help to Claim’ service offers

tailored, practical support to help people make a Universal Credit claim up to

receiving their first full correct payment on time, and is currently available online and

by telephone.

Although the Department offers comprehensive support for claimants to use our

digital service, there will be occasions when people are unable to make their claim

online, so telephone applications can be accepted. In these instances, information

normally available through a claimant’s online account will be communicated in an

alternative format, which is best suited to an individual’s circumstances.


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-full-service-claimant-survey



Daily Report Tuesday, 28 April 2020 WRITTEN STATEMENTS 159

WRITTEN STATEMENTS

CABINET OFFICE

Negotiations on the UK's future relationship with the EU: update

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office (Michael

Gove): [HCWS209]

Negotiators from the UK and the EU held discussions through video conferencing on 20 –

24 April 2020 for the second round of negotiations on the UK-EU future relationship.

Prior to the Round both sides shared legal texts, on the basis of which there were some

clarificatory discussions in order to ensure that the Round was as well prepared as

possible. The UK has shared the following texts: a full draft Free Trade Agreement, and

separate draft Agreements on energy, law enforcement and criminal justice cooperation,

air transport, air safety, civil nuclear, and social security coordination. In accordance with

normal negotiating practice, the Government has not made these texts public, but keeps

this issue under close review and would be ready to do so at a moment when it helped

the negotiating dynamics.

This was a full and constructive negotiating round, with both sides adapting positively to

the new remote ways of working. The round was opened by the UK’s Chief Negotiator,

David Frost, and by the European Commission’s Chief Negotiator, Michel Barnier, in a

plenary session on 20 April. There were then discussions across all the issues and the

session closed with a further plenary on 24 April.

Discussions covered all workstreams including:

• Trade in Goods – market access and rules of origin, trade remedies, customs,

technical barriers to trade and SPS.

• Trade in Services – Cross-border trade in services, investment, temporary entry

for business purposes, professional qualifications, professional and business

services, financial services and digital.

• Fisheries – discussion on control and enforcement, conservation and sustainable

exploitation, and scientific evidence.

• Transport – Aviation and aviation safety, road haulage and passenger transport.

• Energy – Civil nuclear cooperation, gas and electricity trading, climate change and

carbon pricing.

• Mobility and Social Security Coordination – including the UK’s legal text on social

security coordination.

• Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice– UK presentation of the UK Law

Enforcement Treaty with detailed discussions on operational capabilities.

• Thematic cooperation – Covering health security; asylum and illegal migration;

cyber security; and security of information.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2020-04-28/HCWS209/

160 Daily Report Tuesday, 28 April 2020 WRITTEN STATEMENTS

• Participation in Union Programmes - General terms for UK participation in

programmes, including provisions for financial contribution.

• So called Level Playing Field - Including subsidies, competition policy, and trade

and sustainable development.

• Horizontal Issues - Governance arrangements, territorial scope.

Discussions showed that there was some promising convergence in the core areas of a

Free Trade Agreement, but there remain some areas where we have significant

differences of principle – notably fisheries, the so-called “level playing field”, and

governance and dispute settlement. Progress in these areas will require the EU to

engage with the political realities of the UK as an independent state.

This Government remains committed to a deal with a Free Trade Agreement at its core.

We look forward to negotiating constructively in the next Round beginning 11 May.

EDUCATION

Launch of The Skills Toolkit

The Secretary of State for Education (Gavin Williamson): [HCWS207]

Today I am launching “The Skills Toolkit” – a new online platform giving people access to

free, top-quality digital and numeracy courses to help build up their skills, progress in

work and boost their job prospects. The new platform enables anyone who would like to

use it to grow these essential skills while they are staying at home to protect the NHS and

save lives. The Skills Toolkit is a first step towards longer-term recovery, helping

everyone start to build up the key skills we need.

Education and skills are key to opening up opportunities, no matter your background. The

Skills Toolkit allows people to access free digital and numeracy training from some of our

most prestigious learning institutions, including the Open University and the Institute for

Coding. These are skills that everyone needs to thrive in the 21st Century and ones that

evidence suggests are increasingly in demand across almost all sectors and occupations.

Our approach to designing and delivering The Skills Toolkit has been informed by experts

in online learning and the courses available on the platform have been carefully selected

following conversations with businesses and may be expanded at a later date.

The Skills Toolkit meets a range of needs and is open to everyone – irrespective of age,

employment status or current skill level. From a bitesized course to improve your

Powerpoint skills to digital marketing and coding. The courses available support both

furloughed workers who want to learn new skills and those who are currently out of work

and looking to quickly build up their CV with valuable skills for a new job. Equally, the

learning is there for anyone else who is keen to challenge themselves or keep their mind

healthy and busy during time spent at home.

The Skills Toolkit offers employers – who are also facing unprecedented challenges – a

positive offer to support and develop furloughed employees who are interested in learning

from home.



We know the current situation has made home life extremely difficult for many people,

and I realise that learning of any type – online or otherwise – may be far from the minds

of some people at this point in time. For people who can find the time, however, learning

is known to benefit mental health and wellbeing, improving self-esteem, and giving an

improved sense of purpose and control. The flexible nature of the offer, which includes

short, online courses that can be completed at any pace or time of the day, means that

there is something available for everyone when the right time comes. I am hoping that

giving the nation a taster of flexible, online learning will help drive a step-change in the

way in which we all develop our skills throughout our working lives.

I want to thank all of those training providers who have made these free courses so

widely available to the public. It is wonderful to see a fantastic range of organisations

including firms and not-for-profit providers contributing to this effort.

The Skills Toolkit is available from today on Gov.uk. I urge all members to use it and to

recommend it to their constituents and to local employers so that they can encourage

their furloughed workers to grab the opportunity to build skills and discover new talents.”

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

Delay in the Government's Response to the Paterson Inquiry

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Mental Health, Suicide Prevention and

Patient Safety (Ms Nadine Dorries): [HCWS208]

The report of the Independent Inquiry into the issues raised by the former breast surgeon

Ian Paterson was published on 4 February 2020. It describes significant failures in the

ability of the healthcare system to detect and protect patients from the consequences of

Paterson’s malpractice.

The report contains fifteen recommendations, some of which go to the heart of our

regulatory system and the performance management of healthcare professionals.

Government Ministers undertook to study these recommendations in detail and provide

Parliament with a full response within a few months of the report’s publication or indeed

within three months if that was appropriate.

Our action to tackle the COVID-19 crisis has unfortunately diverted resources from this

work which has had to be put on hold for the present time. This will inevitably lead to a

delay in the Government’s formal, written response.

I would like to assure Parliament and the public that we will resume our focus on the

Government’s response as soon as these unprecedented circumstances are behind us.

Also, that we remain committed to implementing considered and effective improvements

in the areas set out in the Inquiry’s recommendations.

In the meantime, we will continue to talk to NHS England and NHS Improvement and

Spire Healthcare about the current and ongoing care of patients treated by Paterson.

http://www.gov.uk/theskillstoolkit

http://www.gov.uk/theskillstoolkit



The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations

(Amendments) 2020

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Matt Hancock): [HCWS206]

On 26 March 2020, the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England)

Regulations 2020 came into force, detailing Regulations on social distancing and

business and venues closures. These Regulations set out that a review of these

Regulations must take place every 21 days to ensure they are both necessary and

proportionate. The Government completed the first review as required on 16 April 2020.

In this review it was agreed that no change would be made to the existing restrictions and

that they would remain in place for at least three more weeks. Recognising the potential

for harm to public health and the economy if measures were relaxed too soon, it was

agreed that five conditions would need to be met before the measures are eased. These

conditions are: 1) Evidence that NHS critical care capacity across the UK will not be

breached; 2) there is a sustained and consistent fall in the daily death rate; 3) infection

rates decrease to an acceptable level; 4) supplies of PPE and testing meets future

demand; and 5) clear evidence that changes won’t risk a second peak in the virus.

However, a small number of minor amendments are required to clarify the Regulations

and ease the operation of the Regulations. They relate to enforcement of the measures,

and businesses and venues affected.

Publicly available Government guidance on Gov.uk is being updated to ensure it fully

corresponds with the amended Regulations. These are strict measures, but they are

measures that we must take in order to protect our NHS and to save lives.

HOME OFFICE

Council Decision on the opening of negotiations for an Agreement between the

European Union and Japan for the transfer and use of Passenger Name Record (PNR)

data to prevent and combat terrorism and other serious transnational crime

The Minister of State for Security (James Brokenshire): [HCWS205]

The UK has left the European Union. Before doing so the Government decided not to opt-

in to the Council Decision authorising the opening of negotiations with Japan on an

Agreement for the transfer and use of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data.

As the agreement to be negotiated will not apply to the UK it was inappropriate to opt-in

to the proposed negotiating mandate.

The UK’s exit from the EU means we can determine and pursue our own policy on the

international transfer and use of PNR data, with Japan and other partners, which

acknowledges the significance of this valuable and unique dataset for countering

terrorism and serious crime subject to safeguards ensuring respect for individuals’

fundamental rights.




Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in

the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization, in respect of the revision of

Chapter 9 of Annex 9 (‘Facilitation’) to the Convention on International Civil Aviation

with regard to standards and recommended practices on passenger name record data

The Minister for Security (James Brokenshire): [HCWS204]

The United Kingdom has left the European Union. Before doing so the Government

decided not to opt-in to a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the

European Union in the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in

respect of the revision of Chapter 9 of Annex 9 (‘Facilitation’) to the Convention on

International Civil Aviation with regard to the standards and recommended practices on

Passenger Name Record data.

The Council Decision cited a legal base in the Justice and Home Affairs section of the

Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. As such the Government considered

that, in line with the terms of Protocol (No. 21) to the Treaty, the United Kingdom’s opt-in

decision applied.

Adopted as Council Decision (EU) 2019/2107, the Council Decision records that the

United Kingdom is bound by Directive (EU) 2016/681, on the use of passenger name

record data for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of terrorist

offences and serious crime, “and [is] therefore taking part in the adoption of [the]

Decision”. The Government does not share this view.

In accordance with the principle of sincere cooperation, the United Kingdom shall refrain,

during the transition period, from any action or initiative likely to be prejudicial to the

position taken by the Council Decision particularly within ICAO of which the United

Kingdom is a contracting party in its own right.

Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (1 December 2019 to 29 February

2020)

The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Priti Patel): [HCWS203]

Section 19(1) of the Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Act 2011 (the Act)

requires the Secretary of State to report to Parliament as soon as reasonably practicable

after the end of every relevant three-month period on the exercise of her TPIM powers

under the Act during that period.

The level of information provided will always be subject to slight variations based on

operational advice.

TPIM NOTICES IN FORCE (AS OF 29 FEBRUARY

2020) 5

Number of new TPIM notices served (during

this period)

1




TPIM NOTICES IN FORCE (AS OF 29 FEBRUARY

2020) 5

TPIM notices in respect of British citizens (as

of 29 February 2020)

5

TPIM notices extended (during the reporting

period)

0

TPIM notices revoked (during the reporting

period)

1

TPIM notices revived (during the reporting

period)

0

Variations made to measures specified in

TPIM notices (during the reporting period)

2

Applications to vary measures specified in

TPIM notices refused (during the reporting

period)

3

The number of subjects relocated under TPIM

legislation (during this the reporting period)

4

The TPIM Review Group (TRG) keeps every TPIM notice under regular and formal

review. First quarter TRG meetings took place on 2, 3, 4, 11 and 12 March 2020.

On 7 February 2020 an individual was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment after

pleading guilty to twelve breaches of the financial services measure of a TPIM notice.

JUSTICE

Final response to The Sentencing Code Volume I: Report (Law Com No. 382)

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Chris Philp):

[HCWS210]

I am today announcing the Government’s final response to the Law Commission’s Report

on the Sentencing Code, published on 22 November 2018. The final response can be

found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-response-to-law-

commission-report-on-the-sentencing-code.

In May 2019 the Government issued an interim response which accepted the main

recommendation of the Report to take forward the Sentencing Bill and the Sentencing

(Pre-consolidation Amendments) Bill, and committed to consider its 11 secondary

recommendations in further detail. Detailed responses to each of those recommendations

are set out at the above link.



https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-response-to-law-commission-report-on-the-sentencing-code




The Government reiterates its thanks to the Law Commission for the enormous effort that

has gone into producing the Report and accompanying legislation, and congratulates the

Law Commission on an outstanding achievement.

TREASURY

Update on tax policy documents

The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Jesse Norman): [HCWS211]

At Budget 2020, the Government published eleven tax policy consultations and calls for

evidence. The Government is grateful for the responses to these that have already been

received from stakeholders.

The Government recognises that many stakeholders are facing significant disruption due

to COVID-19. The Government wants to give all stakeholders time to submit their views.

Therefore, the deadlines for responses to the following tax policy documents will be

extended for three months, to allow stakeholders to engage fully with these documents

and to contribute to the tax policy making process. However, the Government

encourages early responses from stakeholders where possible, to support its continuing

consideration of these issues:

• Plastic Packaging Tax: Policy Design – now closing on 20 August 2020

• Preventing abuse of the R&D tax relief for SMEs: second consultation – now

closing on 28 August 2020

• Tackling Construction Industry Scheme abuse – now closing on 28 August 2020

• Notification of uncertain tax treatment by large businesses – now closing on 27

August 2020

• Vehicle Excise Duty: call for evidence – now closing on 3 September 2020

• Call for evidence: raising standards in the tax market – now closing on 28 August

2020

• Consultation on the taxation impacts arising from the withdrawal of LIBOR – now


• Hybrid and other mismatches – now closing on 29 August 2020

• Tax treatment of asset holding companies in alternative fund structures – now


• Consultation: HMRC Charter – now closing on 15 August 2020

The EU exit transition period will end on 31 December 2020. The consultation on duty-

free and tax-free goods carried by passengers and the informal consultation on the VAT

treatment of overseas goods will therefore continue to the existing timetable. This will

provide businesses with clarity as early as possible on the policies that will apply from 1

January 2021. It will also give businesses enough time to prepare and ensure the right

legislation is in place for 1 January 2021. The Government appreciates that some



stakeholders may not be able to respond by the deadline, and where late submissions

are received, it will take them into account as far as possible.

On 16 April the Government published a consultation on the Climate Change Agreement

scheme extension and reforms for any future scheme. The timetable for this will continue

as planned, to ensure the extension of the scheme will be in place by September as

announced at Budget 2020, supporting energy intensive businesses to operate in a more

environmentally sustainable way.

At Budget 2020, the Government also announced it would publish a number of other tax

policy documents. In the light of COVID-19, the Government will consider the publication

of these and other expected documents on a case by case basis, taking into account the

impact of COVID-19 on stakeholders. The Government will continue to publish the

following documents over the Spring and Summer:

• The call for evidence for the fundamental review of Business Rates

• The consultation on further entitlement to use Red Diesel

• The consultation on the design of a carbon emissions tax

• The consultation on National Insurance Contributions holiday for employers of

veterans

• A call for evidence as part of the post-EU exit alcohol review

• A summary of responses to the call for evidence on the operation of Insurance

Premium Tax

• A summary of responses and government next steps to the Aggregates Levy

Review

• HMRC’s Civil information powers

• A summary of responses to the non-UK resident SDLT surcharge consultation

• A summary of responses to the call for evidence on VAT electronic sales

suppression

• A review of how VAT works in the public sector

The Government will delay the publication of the following documents until the Autumn:

• A discussion document on the wider application of tax conditionality

• The response to the call for Evidence on simplification of the VAT partial exemption

and capital goods schemes

• The consultation on whether qualifying R&D tax credit costs should include

investments in data and cloud computing

• The consultation on stronger penalties for tobacco tax evasion

The Government will provide more detail on the publication of the following documents in

due course:

• The consultation on aviation tax reform


• The call for evidence on disguised remuneration schemes

• The review of the UK funds regime

• The consultation on the Economic Crime Levy

• The conclusion of the Small Brewers’ Relief Review

• A summary of responses to the call for evidence on Social Investment tax relief

The Government’s position on publication of tax policy documents will be kept updated

through the public consultations tracker.

Documents

Daily Report Tuesday, 28 April 2020 CONTENTS€¦ · Daily Report Tuesday, 28 April 2020 This report shows written answers and statements provided on 28 April 2020 and the information