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1307789

registered interest
date	12/04/2021
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has taken steps to encourage employers to furlough employees who have been instructed to shield during the covid-19 outbreak rather than place those employees on Statutory Sick Pay.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Mick Whitley
uin	179563
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2021 answer text <p>The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) has been available since the start of the pandemic, including for the duration of the Government’s most recent shielding advice, reintroduced from 4 January 2021. Shielding guidance is no longer in place, but Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) individuals can continue to be claimed for like everyone else, subject to the CJRS eligibility criteria.</p><p> </p><p>It is not for the Government to decide whether an individual firm should put its staff on furlough; that is a decision for the employer, in consultation with the employee. CEV individuals should talk to their employer to discuss and agree options in relation to work, such as working from home, or returning to the workplace in a different role if their previous position cannot be fulfilled in a Covid-secure manner.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 15/04/2021 14:39:50 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4755 label Biography information for Mick Whitley

1286516

registered interest
date	11/02/2021
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Gambling: Employment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of extending the VAT cut for the hospitality and leisure industries on levels of job retention in (a) the gambling industry and (b) adult gaming centres.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Mick Whitley
uin	153375
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/02/2021 answer text <p>The temporary reduced rate of VAT was introduced on 15 July to support the cash flow and viability of over 150,000 businesses and protect 2.4 million jobs in the hospitality and tourism sectors, and will run until 31 March 2021.</p><p> </p><p>This policy will cost over £2 billion and it is necessary for a boundary for eligibility to be drawn. The Government keeps all taxes under review, and any future decisions on tax policy will be made at Budget.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has announced a significant support package to help businesses from a whole range of sectors through the winter months, which includes an extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, an extension of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme grant, and an extension of the application window for the Government-backed loan schemes.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 153360 question first answered 22/02/2021 11:16:15 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4755 label Biography information for Mick Whitley

1284146

registered interest
date	04/02/2021
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Stamp Duties: First Time Buyers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect on levels of first-time home ownership of extending the stamp duty holiday.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Mick Whitley
uin	149336
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2021 answer text <p>The temporary SDLT relief was designed to stimulate immediate momentum in a property market where property transactions fell by as much as 50 per cent during the COVID-19 lockdown in March. This has also supported the jobs of people whose employment relies on custom from the property industry, such as retailers and tradespeople. First time buyers will benefit from the increase in available properties and save up to an additional £10,000 in SDLT, on top of the £5,000 they could already save under First Time Buyers relief.</p><p> </p><p>The Government will continue to monitor the market. However, as the relief was designed to provide an immediate stimulus to the property market, the Government does not plan to extend this relief.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 12/02/2021 13:59:56 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4755 label Biography information for Mick Whitley

1271734

registered interest
date	16/12/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Directors
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of reforming the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to allow directors of small limited companies to undertake work while on furlough to support the economic viability of those companies.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Mick Whitley
uin	130839
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2021 answer text <p>Where furloughed directors need to carry out particular duties to fulfil their statutory obligations, they may do so provided it is no more than would reasonably be judged necessary for that purpose. In particular, they should not do work of a kind they would carry out in normal circumstances to generate commercial revenue or provide services to or on behalf of their company.  This also applies to companies with a sole director.</p><p>Businesses that can remain open but are operating with reduced demand can use flexible furlough to keep staff working part time.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 15/01/2021 12:06:11 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4755 label Biography information for Mick Whitley

1249938

registered interest
date	05/11/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Employment: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his oral statement of 5 November 2002, on Economy Update, what steps he is taking to ensure that people not eligible to access the (a) Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and (b) Self-Employment Income Support Scheme will have access to financial support in the period leading up to March 2021.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Mick Whitley
uin	112112
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/11/2020 answer text <p>Throughout the pandemic, the Government’s priority has been to protect lives and livelihoods. Since the start of the pandemic the Government has provided support for people, businesses and public services totalling an estimated £200 billion.</p><p> </p><p>Beyond the extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and</p><p>Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, to support individuals further the Government has implemented a £20 per week increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element until the end of March 2021. This means that for a single Universal Credit claimant (25 or over), the standard allowance will increase from £317.82 to £409.89 per month.</p><p> </p><p>The £20 per week uplift is one part of a package of temporary welfare measures, which also includes the suspension of the Universal Credit Minimum Income Floor in order to support self-employed people on low incomes, and increases to the Local Housing Allowance rates for Housing Benefit and Universal Credit, which mean over 1 million households who rent privately will gain an average of £600 per year.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has also given local authorities an additional £500 million to support the most vulnerable people in society, who may struggle to meet their council tax payments this year. The Government has requested that local authorities use the Hardship Fund grant to provide all recipients of working age local council tax support (LCTS) during the financial year 2020-21 with a further reduction in their annual council tax bill of £150. This funding is in addition to the £3.4bn which Local Authorities already spend on LCTS schemes each year, benefiting about 3.8 million people.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to supporting individuals financially through this difficult time and has put in place a comprehensive package of support for those told to self-isolate, extending Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) so that employees can claim it if they are asked to self-isolate, and changing the rules so that SSP is payable from day one rather than day four. In addition, people who are instructed to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace and are on low incomes, unable to work from home and will lose income as a result, may be entitled to a payment of £500 from their local authority.</p><p> </p><p>The Government continues to keep policies under review, and it will continue to provide a comprehensive economic support package as public health measures change.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 10/11/2020 15:04:05 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4755 label Biography information for Mick Whitley

1234540

registered interest
date	15/09/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Employment: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to make financial support available to people suffering long-term effects of covid-19 and who are unable to work as a result of their symptoms.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Mick Whitley
uin	90252
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2020 answer text <p>The Government has committed to an unprecedented package to support individuals affected by COVID-19 through this difficult time. This includes the introduction of the Coronavirus Job Retention and Self-Employment Income Support Schemes.</p><p>If an employee earns average weekly earnings of at least £120 per week, they will be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if they have been ill or self-isolating. SSP is paid by an employer for up to 28 weeks and may be paid to those unable to work as a result of long-term effects of COVID-19. The Government has also changed the rules so that SSP is now payable from day 1, not day 4, for COVID-19 cases.</p><p>Where an individual is not eligible for SSP or has received it for the maximum period, the Government provides a welfare safety net. According to OBR estimates, the Government has injected a further £9.3 billion into the welfare system to support individuals who are unable to work or on a low income. Those with a health condition which prevents them from working or preparing for work may be entitled to an extra amount of Universal Credit. In addition, individuals with sufficient National Insurance contributions may be entitled to “new style” Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if they are incapable of work due to COVID-19.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 21/09/2020 12:37:49 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4755 label Biography information for Mick Whitley

1232344

registered interest
date	08/09/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Self-employment Income Support Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his Department has made of the potential merits of extending the Coronavirus Job Retention scheme and Self-Employment Income Support scheme for industries that are (a) not able to safely return to work and (b) experiencing sustained economic disruption as a result of the covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Mick Whitley
uin	86760
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2020 answer text <p>The Government has put in place a broad set of policies to support businesses and individuals during COVID-19, and the CJRS and SEISS are supporting millions of people.</p><p> </p><p>The CJRS remains open until the end of October while the second and final round of SEISS claims has just opened for applications.</p><p> </p><p>As the economy reopens, the Government must adjust its support to ensure people continue to get back to work, while protecting the UK economy and people’s livelihoods.</p><p> </p><p>In the second phase of the Government’s response, the targeted Plan for Jobs will support jobseekers, protecting jobs and creating jobs.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 11/09/2020 09:17:15 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4755 label Biography information for Mick Whitley

1229809

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of requiring employers who have furloughed employees through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme repay money to the Exchequer if they subsequently make redundancies.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Mick Whitley
uin	82424
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2020 answer text <p>The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) is designed to protect jobs, and it has protected 9 million jobs to date.</p><p> </p><p>While employers who make redundancies do not need to repay the CJRS grant they have already received, if an employee is made redundant during the period of furlough then future grant payments in relation to that employee will cease.</p><p> </p><p>Employees who are dismissed due to redundancy and who satisfy certain qualifying conditions are statutorily entitled to a lump sum redundancy payment from their employer, based on their age, length of service and contractual weekly earnings, subject to a statutory upper limit.</p><p> </p><p>New legislation will ensure that employers base an employee's redundancy pay (and other statutory rights including notice pay and compensation for unfair dismissal) on their normal pay, rather than their furlough pay (potentially 80% of their normal wage). This will ensure that where someone who had previously been furloughed does lose their job, they will receive their full entitlements.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 03/09/2020 10:37:08 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4755 label Biography information for Mick Whitley

1226036

registered interest
date	17/07/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Employment: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial support will be available for people who are extremely clinically vulnerable and unable to return to work after 1 August 2020 because they cannot work from home and their workplace cannot be made covid-secure.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Mick Whitley
uin	76120
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2020 answer text <p>On 22 June, the Prime Minister announced that the Government will relax the current public health guidance for those identified as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) to shield at home. This means from 1 August they will be able to return to work if they are unable to work from home, provided their workplace is COVID-safe.</p><p> </p><p>It is important that this group continue to take careful precautions, and employers should do all they can to enable them to work from home where this is possible, including moving them to another role if required. Where this is not possible, the CEV should be provided with the safest on-site roles that enable them to maintain social distancing from others.</p><p> </p><p>If employers cannot provide a safe working environment, the CEV will continue to have access to an unprecedented package of financial support. This is not limited to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, but also includes the introduction of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and an increase in the generosity of welfare payments worth a further £9.3bn according to Office for Budget Responsibility estimates.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 22/07/2020 07:14:13 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4755 label Biography information for Mick Whitley

1186107

registered interest
date	18/03/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Markets: Business Rates
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to allow public markets run by local authorities to apply for business rate relief in response to the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Mick Whitley
uin	31549
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2020 answer text <p>Guidance for local authorities on the application of this business rates holiday was published on 18 March and can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/business-rates-retail-discount-guidance" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/business-rates-retail-discount-guidance</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has announced £1.6bn of additional funding to support local authorities in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. This funding is intended to help local authorities address the pressures that they are facing across services.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 26/03/2020 09:02:47 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4755 label Biography information for Mick Whitley