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1191608

registered interest
date	29/04/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund and Small Business Grants Fund
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will amend the Small Business Grant and Leisure, Hospitality and Retail Grant rules to allow local authorities greater discretion in supporting local businesses consistent with the purpose of those grant schemes.
tabling member constituency	North West Norfolk
tabling member printed	James Wild
uin	41601
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/05/2020 answer text <p>As of 1<sup>st</sup> May, Government has provided up to an additional £617m for Local Authorities in England to create a Discretionary Grants Fund, in order to help those small businesses which are excluded from the current grants schemes due to the way they interact with the business rates system.</p><p> </p><p>Local Authorities are responsible for defining precise eligibility for this funding in their areas. And businesses will need to apply to their Local Authority in order to receive grants – each LA will need time to create their own process.</p><p> </p><p>However, it is our intention that the following businesses should be considered as a priority for these funds:</p><ul><li>Businesses in shared offices;</li><li>Regular market traders who do not have their own business rates assessment;</li><li>B&amp;Bs which pay Council Tax instead of business rates; and</li><li>Charity properties in receipt of charitable business rates relief which would otherwise have been eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rate Relief.</li></ul><p> </p> answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 04/05/2020 14:20:09 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
tabling member	4787 label Biography information for James Wild

1191624

registered interest
date	29/04/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Bureaux de Change: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason the Expanded Retail Discount Scheme excludes bureaux de change premises.
tabling member constituency	Gateshead
tabling member printed	Ian Mearns
uin	41432
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/05/2020 answer text <p>The Government has provided enhanced support to the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors through business rates relief given the direct and acute impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on those sectors.</p><p> </p><p>While financial services providers are excluded from business rates relief, a range of further measures to support all businesses, including those not eligible for the business rates holiday, has also been made available.</p><p> </p><p>For example, the Government has launched 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.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 04/05/2020 14:09:18 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4000 label Biography information for Ian Mearns

1191647

registered interest
date	29/04/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Insurance: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to enforce the payment of insurance claims arising from the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Ashford
tabling member printed	Damian Green
uin	41364
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/05/2020 answer text <p>The Government is in continual dialogue with the insurance sector about its contribution to handling this unprecedented situation. The Government is also working closely with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to ensure that the rules are being upheld during this crisis.</p><p> </p><p>The FCA’s rules require insurers to handle claims fairly and promptly; provide reasonable guidance to help a policyholder make a claim, and appropriate information on its progress; not reject a claim unreasonably; and settle claims promptly once settlement terms are agreed. In addition, the FCA has said that, in light of COVID-19, insurers must consider very carefully the needs of their customers and show flexibility in their treatment of them.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, on 1 May, the FCA published guidance for firms, which sets out their expectations of firms when considering the fair treatment of existing customers, and in particular those customers experiencing or reasonably expecting to experience temporary financial difficulties due to circumstances arising from COVID-19.</p><p> </p><p>The FCA is working closely with the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), an independent body set up to provide arbitration in cases where consumers feel they have been unfairly treated. The decision of the FOS is binding on insurers up to £350,000.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises that consumers facing financial difficulty will require support from elsewhere. The Government has announced unprecedented support for businesses and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency including an initial £330 billion of guarantees equivalent to 15% of UK GDP.</p><p> </p><p>We have made significant changes to the operation of statutory sick pay, universal credit, and employment and support allowance to ensure that people have quicker and more generous access to a support system, and we have taken further immediate steps to give businesses access to cash to pay their rent, salaries or suppliers.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 04/05/2020 10:25:12 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	76 label Biography information for Damian Green

1191671

registered interest
date	29/04/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Business Rates: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to extend the small business rates relief for covid-19 to (a) independent mortgage advisors (b) private dental practices and (c) small veterinary practices; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Christchurch
tabling member printed	Sir Christopher Chope
uin	41377
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/05/2020 answer text <p>The Government is providing funding for Local Authorities to support small businesses that benefit from small business rates relief (SBRR), rural rate relief (RRR) and tapered relief. This will provide a one-off grant of £10,000 per property in receipt of these reliefs, to help meet their continuing business costs. There is no restriction on the type of small business which may be eligible.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to these grants, small businesses may also be able to benefit from the new Discretionary Grant Fund announced by the Government on 1 May. The Government has provided up to an additional £617m for Local Authorities in England to enable them to make grants payments to businesses which are facing high fixed property-related costs, but have been excluded from the existing grants schemes because of the way they are treated by the business rates system. Local Authorities are responsible for defining precise eligibility for these funds, and businesses will need to apply to their Local Authority in order to receive grants. Businesses which think they may be eligible for a discretionary grant should contact their Local Authority.</p><p> </p><p>Businesses not eligible for grant funding have access to other support measures which the Government has introduced, including:</p><p> </p><ul><li>The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS)</li><li>The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS)</li><li>The Bounce Back Loan Scheme for SMEs</li><li>VAT deferral for up to 12 months</li><li>The Time To Pay scheme, through which businesses and self-employed individuals in financial distress, and with outstanding tax liabilities, can receive support with their tax affairs</li><li>Protection for commercial leaseholders against automatic forfeiture for non-payment until 30 June 2020</li></ul><p> </p><p>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: <a href="https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support" target="_blank">https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support</a>.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 41602 question first answered 04/05/2020 15:55:02 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope

1191675

registered interest
date	29/04/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Primary Health Care and Veterinary Services: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to provide additional financial support for (a) dental, (b) physiotherapy and (c) veterinary practices during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Putney
tabling member printed	Fleur Anderson
uin	41602
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/05/2020 answer text <p>The Government is providing funding for Local Authorities to support small businesses that benefit from small business rates relief (SBRR), rural rate relief (RRR) and tapered relief. This will provide a one-off grant of £10,000 per property in receipt of these reliefs, to help meet their continuing business costs. There is no restriction on the type of small business which may be eligible.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to these grants, small businesses may also be able to benefit from the new Discretionary Grant Fund announced by the Government on 1 May. The Government has provided up to an additional £617m for Local Authorities in England to enable them to make grants payments to businesses which are facing high fixed property-related costs, but have been excluded from the existing grants schemes because of the way they are treated by the business rates system. Local Authorities are responsible for defining precise eligibility for these funds, and businesses will need to apply to their Local Authority in order to receive grants. Businesses which think they may be eligible for a discretionary grant should contact their Local Authority.</p><p> </p><p>Businesses not eligible for grant funding have access to other support measures which the Government has introduced, including:</p><p> </p><ul><li>The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS)</li><li>The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS)</li><li>The Bounce Back Loan Scheme for SMEs</li><li>VAT deferral for up to 12 months</li><li>The Time To Pay scheme, through which businesses and self-employed individuals in financial distress, and with outstanding tax liabilities, can receive support with their tax affairs</li><li>Protection for commercial leaseholders against automatic forfeiture for non-payment until 30 June 2020</li></ul><p> </p><p>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: <a href="https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support" target="_blank">https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support</a>.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 41377 question first answered 04/05/2020 15:55:02 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4788 label Biography information for Fleur Anderson

1191753

registered interest
date	29/04/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Self-employment Income Support Scheme: Greater London
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to introduce a London weighting to increase the £50,000 trading profit cap on eligibility for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.
tabling member constituency	Wimbledon
tabling member printed	Stephen Hammond
uin	41409
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/05/2020 answer text <p>The new Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will help those adversely affected by COVID-19. Some 95% of people who are mainly self-employed could benefit from this scheme, based on 2017-18 data.</p><p> </p><p>The design of the SEISS, including the £50,000 threshold, means it is targeted at those who need it the most, and who are most reliant on their self-employment income. Those who had more than £50,000 from self-employment profits in 2017-18 had an average total income of more than £200,000.</p><p> </p><p>Those with average trading 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, including the Bounce Back Loans Scheme for small businesses, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, and the deferral of tax payments.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 39793 40735 41140 question first answered 04/05/2020 14:16:23 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond

1191755

registered interest
date	29/04/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Self-employed: 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 provide support for people who are self-employed and who are paid primarily through dividends.
tabling member constituency	Wimbledon
tabling member printed	Stephen Hammond
uin	41410
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/05/2020 answer text <p>Those who pay themselves a salary through their own company may be eligible to claim for 80% of usual monthly wages, 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.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s priority has been to support as many people as it possibly can, and as quickly as possible. 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 and any such proposal would need to be considered against the other schemes which the Government is committed to delivering as quickly as possible.</p><p> </p><p>Those who are not eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme may be able to access other support Government is providing, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the Bounce Back Loans Scheme for small businesses, and the deferral of tax payments. More information about the full range of business support measures is available at <a href="http://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/" target="_blank">www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 39497 39791 question first answered 04/05/2020 13:54:32 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond

1191801

registered interest
date	29/04/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Small Businesses: Business Rates
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of small businesses renting premises where business rates are included as part of their rental agreement; and what steps he is taking to ensure that such businesses are able to access the Small Business Grants Fund.
tabling member constituency	Leeds East
tabling member printed	Richard Burgon
uin	41552
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/05/2020 answer text <p>As of 1<sup>st</sup> May, Government has provided up to an additional £617m for Local Authorities in England to enable them to make grants payments to businesses in these circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>This funding will be used by Local Authorities to create a Discretionary Grants Fund.</p><p> </p><p>Local Authorities are responsible for defining precise eligibility for these funds. And businesses will need to apply to their Local Authority in order to receive grants – each LA will need time to create their own process.</p><p> </p><p>However, it is our intention that the following businesses should be considered as a priority for these funds:</p><ul><li>Businesses in shared offices;</li><li>Regular market traders who do not have their own business rates assessment;</li><li>B&amp;Bs which pay Council Tax instead of business rates; and</li><li>Charity properties in receipt of charitable business rates relief which would otherwise have been eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rate Relief.</li></ul><p> </p> answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 04/05/2020 14:23:11 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
tabling member	4493 label Biography information for Richard Burgon

1191818

registered interest
date	29/04/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Voluntary Work
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will add an exemption to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme guidance allowing furloughed workers employed by faith-based organisations to participate in activities usually undertaken by volunteers in their faith community.
tabling member constituency	Ceredigion
tabling member printed	Ben Lake
uin	41576
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/05/2020 answer text <p>The purpose of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is to support people who would otherwise have been made redundant. To prevent fraudulent claims, the Government made clear that individuals cannot work or volunteer for their organisation. This aims to protect individuals too; if workers were allowed to volunteer for their employer, the employer could ask them to effectively work full time while only paying them 80% of their wages. DCMS is working with other Government departments and the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector to identify areas where volunteers can contribute to the COVID-19 response.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 04/05/2020 13:38:10 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4630 label Biography information for Ben Lake

1191819

registered interest
date	29/04/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Veterinary Services: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to support veterinary practices affected by the covid-19 lockdown through business rate relief.
tabling member constituency	Crawley
tabling member printed	Henry Smith
uin	41429
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/05/2020 answer text <p>Business rates are devolved in Scotland.</p><p> </p><p>In England, the Government has provided enhanced support to the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors through business rates relief given the direct and acute impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on those sectors.</p><p> </p><p>A range of further measures to support all businesses, including those not eligible for the business rates holiday, such as veterinary practices, has also been made available. For example, the Government has launched 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 backed by an 80% Government guarantee, and the deferral of VAT payments for this quarter.</p><p> </p><p>The Government will consider any further financial assistance necessary to help businesses get through this period.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 41010 question first answered 04/05/2020 15:26:21 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith