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1244165

registered interest
date	16/10/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Banks: Closures
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will introduce a banking service standard to prohibit the closure of the last bank branch in a community.
tabling member constituency	Easington
tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
uin	104718
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2020 answer text <p>The decision to maintain a presence on the high street is a commercial one for the management team of a bank and Government does not intervene in those decisions.</p><p> </p><p>The retail financial landscape is changing, as more consumers and businesses opt for the convenience, security, and speed of digital payments and digital banking. Banking service providers need to balance customer interests, market competition, and other commercial factors when considering their strategy.</p><p> </p><p>However, the Government also firmly believes that the impact of branch closures should be understood, considered, and mitigated where possible so that all customers, wherever they live, continue to have access to over-the-counter banking services if they wish to use them. That’s why the Government supports the industry’s Access to Banking Standard which helps customers to understand the options they have locally to continue to access banking services, including specialist assistance for customers who need more help.</p><p> </p><p>Alternative options include the Post Office, which allows 95% of business and 99% of personal banking customers to carry out their everyday banking at 11,500 Post Office branches across the UK.</p><p> </p><p>In September 2020, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published guidance setting out their expectation of firms when they are deciding whether and how to reduce their physical branches or the number of free to use ATMs. Firms are expected to carefully consider the impact of a planned closure on their customers’ everyday banking and cash access needs, and other relevant branch services and consider possible alternative access arrangements. This will ensure the implementation of closure decisions is done in a way that treats customers fairly.</p><p> </p><p>Further to this, the FCA recently consulted on guidance for firms’ on the fair treatment of vulnerable customers, including those who are digitally excluded or have low digital skills. This consultation closed on 30 September and the FCA are currently considering the responses.</p><p> </p><p>Protecting vulnerable consumers is a key priority for the FCA. While many firms have made significant progress in how they treat vulnerable consumers, HM Treasury and the FCA want to see the fair treatment of vulnerable consumers being taken seriously by all firms so that such customers receive consistently fair treatment. HM Treasury continues to work with firms and the FCA to ensure that the needs of vulnerable customers are met.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen grouped question UIN 104719 question first answered 21/10/2020 07:34:01 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1244172

registered interest
date	16/10/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Bank Services
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 protect community access to banking facilities for vulnerable people unable to use online banking.
tabling member constituency	Easington
tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
uin	104719
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2020 answer text <p>The decision to maintain a presence on the high street is a commercial one for the management team of a bank and Government does not intervene in those decisions.</p><p> </p><p>The retail financial landscape is changing, as more consumers and businesses opt for the convenience, security, and speed of digital payments and digital banking. Banking service providers need to balance customer interests, market competition, and other commercial factors when considering their strategy.</p><p> </p><p>However, the Government also firmly believes that the impact of branch closures should be understood, considered, and mitigated where possible so that all customers, wherever they live, continue to have access to over-the-counter banking services if they wish to use them. That’s why the Government supports the industry’s Access to Banking Standard which helps customers to understand the options they have locally to continue to access banking services, including specialist assistance for customers who need more help.</p><p> </p><p>Alternative options include the Post Office, which allows 95% of business and 99% of personal banking customers to carry out their everyday banking at 11,500 Post Office branches across the UK.</p><p> </p><p>In September 2020, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published guidance setting out their expectation of firms when they are deciding whether and how to reduce their physical branches or the number of free to use ATMs. Firms are expected to carefully consider the impact of a planned closure on their customers’ everyday banking and cash access needs, and other relevant branch services and consider possible alternative access arrangements. This will ensure the implementation of closure decisions is done in a way that treats customers fairly.</p><p> </p><p>Further to this, the FCA recently consulted on guidance for firms’ on the fair treatment of vulnerable customers, including those who are digitally excluded or have low digital skills. This consultation closed on 30 September and the FCA are currently considering the responses.</p><p> </p><p>Protecting vulnerable consumers is a key priority for the FCA. While many firms have made significant progress in how they treat vulnerable consumers, HM Treasury and the FCA want to see the fair treatment of vulnerable consumers being taken seriously by all firms so that such customers receive consistently fair treatment. HM Treasury continues to work with firms and the FCA to ensure that the needs of vulnerable customers are met.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen grouped question UIN 104718 question first answered 21/10/2020 07:34:02 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1244175

registered interest
date	16/10/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Help to Save Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many Help to Save accounts (a) have been opened and (b) have no deposits; and what steps he is taking to encourage account holders to actively utilise those accounts.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	104701
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2020 answer text <p>HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has published statistics on Help to Save accounts up to July 2020. These statistics show the total number of accounts opened now stands at 222,000 and there are 60,500 accounts that are yet to receive a deposit. The latest publication is available at: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/help-to-save-statistics.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC has recently issued regional press releases to highlight the advantage of the Help to Save scheme and bonuses available.</p><p> </p><p>All Help to Save customers receive a welcome pack that gives them information on how to maximise the bonus available. They also receive annual statements that update them on their account status. HMRC regularly contacts customers with no deposits to remind them that their account is open and how this affects their future bonus payments.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 21/10/2020 07:36:05 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

1244180

registered interest
date	16/10/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Protective Clothing: VAT
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to extend the VAT holiday on personal protective equipment after 31 October 2020, in response to the ongoing covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Central Ayrshire
tabling member printed	Dr Philippa Whitford
uin	104748
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2020 answer text <p>The temporary zero rate of VAT on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was an extraordinary measure to help affected sectors during the initial shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the global supply of PPE did not meet demand. This measure will come to an end on 31 October, as new measures introduced by the Government will ensure supply of COVID-related PPE to affected sectors from 1 November.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 21/10/2020 09:46:59 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4385 label Biography information for Dr Philippa Whitford

1242835

registered interest
date	13/10/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Sports: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to allocate funding when the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme ends to sports clubs to support them in retaining non-playing staff whose services are temporarily surplus to requirements until those clubs can operate on the basis of fans in stadiums.
tabling member constituency	Hemsworth
tabling member printed	Jon Trickett
uin	102686
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2020 answer text <p>When the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) ends, employers will have access to the Job Support Scheme regardless of whether they previously used CJRS. The JSS, announced in September, is designed to protect jobs in businesses who are facing pressures over the winter months due to Covid-19. The JSS Open which was announced in September, provides a Government grant which covers a portion of all hours not worked by an employee on reduced hours.</p><p> </p><p>The JSS Closed, an expansion to the JSS announced on the 9<sup>th</sup> October, provides a Government grant for 2/3 of the wages of all employees in businesses forced to close by local lockdowns. In this way, employees remain linked to businesses and employers can quickly scale up activity to any increase in demand.</p><p> </p><p>We have also introduced the Job Retention Bonus. This provides a £1,000 grant for each previously furloughed employee retained in meaningful employment by January 31<sup>st</sup>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 21/10/2020 14:23:15 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
tabling member	410 label Biography information for Jon Trickett

1242899

registered interest
date	13/10/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Carbon Capture and Storage: Hydrogen
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Government’s support for (a) Carbon capture and storage and (b) Hydrogen technologies.
tabling member constituency	Rother Valley
tabling member printed	Alexander Stafford
uin	102964
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2020 answer text <p>At Spring Budget 2020, the Chancellor committed to spend at least £800m for the deployment of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) in the 2020s.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, in 2019, the Government announced a £100m Low Carbon Hydrogen Production Fund to incentivise future private sector investment in low carbon hydrogen, while earlier this year, the Government published a response to a consultation on CCS business models, including for low carbon hydrogen production.</p><p> </p><p>Officials at HMT have been working closely with BEIS officials and key industry stakeholders to understand the type and quantum of support required to advance CCS. This includes engaging in a number of boards with industry, such as the Hydrogen Advisory Council.</p> answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 21/10/2020 14:21:29 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
tabling member	4866 label Biography information for Alexander Stafford

1242926

registered interest
date	13/10/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Beer: Small Businesses
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to provide additional financial support to small breweries during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
uin	102950
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2020 answer text <p>The Government is supporting small breweries through its unprecedented coronavirus economic response. This includes the job support scheme, job retention bonus, VAT deferral and repayment scheme and the bounce back loans scheme.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 21/10/2020 14:25:13 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1242933

registered interest
date	13/10/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Coronavirus: Quarantine
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support is available to employers whose staff need to self-isolate for a period during which time statutory sick pay would exceed the amount of state aid received by the employer.
tabling member constituency	North Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Kevan Jones
uin	102696
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2020 answer text <p>The Government is committed to supporting businesses through this time and has announced an unprecedented level of financial support. This includes but is not limited to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Job Support Scheme, business loans, tax deferrals, the Future Fund, and a year-long business rates holiday for all eligible businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors.</p><p> </p><p>Some of these schemes will constitute State Aid, such as the Small Business Grant Scheme and Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Rebate Scheme. Businesses eligible for the SSP rebate may claim grants up to a total of €800,000, as provided for under the EU Commission’s COVID-19 State Aid Temporary Framework. This is a cumulative amount that must consider other forms of aid received as grants under the Framework. There is a lower grant allowance for agriculture at €100,000 and aquaculture and fisheries at €120,000.</p><p> </p><p>Businesses may also be eligible for business support loans such as the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), the Coronavirus Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF) and the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS). Under the Temporary Framework, loan schemes are not subject to the €800,000 allowance for grants.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, some support schemes do not constitute State Aid. For example, businesses may be eligible for the CJRS, VAT Deferral, and Time to Pay, among others.</p><p> </p><p>The combination of these and other measures constitutes an unprecedented programme of Government support for businesses to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 21/10/2020 09:49:05 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	1438 label Biography information for Lord Beamish

1242992

registered interest
date	13/10/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Mortgages: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending mortgage holidays beyond 31 October 2020 for people who remain financially affected by the covid-19 restrictions.
tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle
tabling member printed	Emma Hardy
uin	102914
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2020 answer text <p>Following the Coronavirus outbreak, the Government worked quickly with lenders and financial regulators to give people access to payment holidays on their mortgages. This gives customers a much-needed respite period, where no repayments on these products are due. It was necessary to bring this temporary measure in, in order to give customers time to smooth out their finances that may have taken a hit by the pandemic.</p><p> </p><p>The FCA published guidance on mortgage payment holidays on 14 September setting out that firms should continue to provide support through tailored forbearance options for those borrowers that are facing ongoing financial difficulties. This could include granting new mortgage payment holidays. As part of this guidance any forbearance granted beyond 31 October will be reflected on the consumer’s credit file in the usual manner. As borrowers still requiring assistance after 31 October could be in serious financial distress the FCA believe it is right that lenders are able to understand their financial position in order to lend responsibly.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 21/10/2020 09:34:48 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	4645 label Biography information for Emma Hardy

1242994

registered interest
date	13/10/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Public Houses and Restaurants: Coronavirus
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 providing additional support to businesses affected by the 10.00pm curfew on bars and restaurants.
tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle
tabling member printed	Emma Hardy
uin	102915
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2020 answer text <p>The government has had to take the difficult step of introducing restrictions on businesses and individuals to bring the virus under control. It recognises that the necessary restrictions on opening hours for hospitality venues will be disruptive for businesses in the hospitality sector.</p><p>The Chancellor recently announced a further package of measures in the Winter Economy Plan, including the Job Support Scheme, which will protect employees working reduced hours, and the extension of business loan schemes. All eligible businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors will also pay no business rates in England for 12 months from 1 April 2020. Hospitality businesses have also benefited from a temporary reduction in the VAT rate from 20% to 5% on most hospitality-related activities, which will continue until 31 March 2021.</p><p>The Job Support Scheme has been designed to protect viable jobs in businesses experiencing lower demand, covering one-third of an employee’s wages, subject to a cap. This will protect the employee’s job and support their income during periods of low demand.</p><p>Since March, the government has also implemented a range of measures to support commercial property tenants and landlords. The objective of these measures is to preserve tenants’ businesses through the COVID-19 lockdown and to give time and space to landlords and tenants to agree reasonable adjustments to rent and lease terms, including terms for the payment of accumulated rent arrears.</p> answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 21/10/2020 14:33:59 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
tabling member	4645 label Biography information for Emma Hardy