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1220926

registered interest
date	06/07/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Energy: VAT
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 treating mechanical ventilation with heat recovery as an energy saving measure in order for such ventilation to qualify for a reduced rate of VAT.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	69527
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2020 answer text <p>Until the transition period negotiated as part of the Withdrawal Agreement is complete, the current UK VAT rules will continue to apply.</p><p> </p><p>However, HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs are working closely together to consider any changes that may be needed to ensure that the VAT system supports the Government’s objectives for both the Net Zero Review and its wider fiscal and economic strategy.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 14/07/2020 13:45:37 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1220932

registered interest
date	06/07/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Wildlife: Licensing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he is taking steps to implement the conclusions of the paper entitled, Wildlife Licencing in England: Chaos, Crisis and Cure, published by the Countryside Alliance, National Gamekeepers’ Association and the Moorland Association on 29 May 2020; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	69528
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2020 answer text <p>The paper calls for a feasibility study into Defra taking back control of individual licensing from Natural England (NE).</p><p> </p><p>Last spring, following a legal challenge by Wild Justice which led NE to revoke three general licences for the lethal control of wild birds, the then Secretary of State decided to take responsibility for granting the relevant general licences under s16(1) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. He considered it appropriate to take over this function, recognising the scale of interest and concern that had been generated by the decision to revoke. Defra issued new interim general licences on 14 June 2019, and launched a review to inform longer-term licensing arrangements. At the time, wild bird control on and near European sites and lethal control of gulls had to be excluded from those interim licences, and has been regulated since then via individual licence by NE.</p><p> </p><p>I appreciate the frustrations expressed in the report regarding individual licensing, and the Secretary of State is working closely with NE to ensure that these issues are resolved as quickly as possible. NE has received a very high number of applications for control of the two gull species and for control of other species on protected sites. NE has invested in its capacity to address the anticipated increase in licence applications. However, the information provided in a significant number (approximately 90%) of applications has not been sufficient to make informed decisions. The process of requesting and processing outstanding information from applicants has added considerably to the timescale needed to determine licence applications. We would expect this number to decrease in future years as applicants become better acquainted with the level of information required, and as wild bird control on European sites is brought back within the general licence following the review.</p><p> </p><p>Defra and NE are committed to achieving a licensing regime for wild birds which is both robust and workable for users. Our review is seeking to achieve this based on extensive evidence review and consultation with stakeholders.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 14/07/2020 14:57:17 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1218591

registered interest
date	29/06/2020
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Theatres: Correspondence
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the proposals made by the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatres in their open letter to the Prime Minister, dated 17 June 2020.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	66036
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2020 answer text <p>To support the sustainability of the arts sector, including theatres, DCMS has worked closely with Arts Council England (ACE) to provide a tailored package of financial support. In March, ACE announced a £160m emergency response package to complement the financial measures already announced by the Government and to ensure immediate resilience of this vital sector.</p><p> </p><p>This includes £20 million of financial support for individuals, including self-employed theatre practitioners, and £140 million of support for organisations, including theatres, so they can better sustain themselves, and their work, in the coming months. To date over 9000 individuals and organisations have been successful in applying for this support.</p><p> </p><p>DCMS has also established the Cultural Renewal Taskforce and the Entertainment and Events working group to ensure appropriate supporting guidance is given to the cultural sector. Theatres and stage-based entertainment organisations are represented on these groups, including via membership of UK Theatre/Society of London Theatre, which is on the Entertainment and Events working group.</p><p> </p><p>Sector-specific expert input into the groups’ work, alongside DCMS’s wider extensive consultation with the Arts sector, is helping to ensure we fully understand the impacts of Covid-19 and remain well placed to respond as it develops.</p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage grouped question UIN 66037 question first answered 07/07/2020 10:22:34 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1218592

registered interest
date	29/06/2020
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Theatres: Wycombe
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what support his Department is providing for theatres in Wycombe.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	66037
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2020 answer text <p>To support the sustainability of the arts sector, including theatres, DCMS has worked closely with Arts Council England (ACE) to provide a tailored package of financial support. In March, ACE announced a £160m emergency response package to complement the financial measures already announced by the Government and to ensure immediate resilience of this vital sector.</p><p> </p><p>This includes £20 million of financial support for individuals, including self-employed theatre practitioners, and £140 million of support for organisations, including theatres, so they can better sustain themselves, and their work, in the coming months. To date over 9000 individuals and organisations have been successful in applying for this support.</p><p> </p><p>DCMS has also established the Cultural Renewal Taskforce and the Entertainment and Events working group to ensure appropriate supporting guidance is given to the cultural sector. Theatres and stage-based entertainment organisations are represented on these groups, including via membership of UK Theatre/Society of London Theatre, which is on the Entertainment and Events working group.</p><p> </p><p>Sector-specific expert input into the groups’ work, alongside DCMS’s wider extensive consultation with the Arts sector, is helping to ensure we fully understand the impacts of Covid-19 and remain well placed to respond as it develops.</p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage grouped question UIN 66036 question first answered 07/07/2020 10:22:34 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1218593

registered interest
date	29/06/2020
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	British Airways: Staff
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he will take to support employees of British Airways in response to the proposed restructuring of the business; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	66038
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2020 answer text <p>The recent announcements about redundancies by British Airways will no doubt be very distressing for employees and their families. Both the Secretary of State and I have spoken directly to IAG’s Chief Executive, Willie Walsh, to discuss the organisation’s plans for engagement with staff and union representatives. I have offered to support these engagement efforts, where appropriate to do so, and have also encouraged the company to go beyond its minimum legal obligations in supporting its employees.</p><p> </p><p>I will continue to encourage BA and unions to engage constructively with each other, striving to provide employees with as much certainty as possible during this challenging time.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 07/07/2020 12:29:17 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1218594

registered interest
date	29/06/2020
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Aviation: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he will take to prevent job loses in the aviation sector.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	66039
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2020 answer text <p>The aviation sector is able to draw upon the unprecedented package of measures announced by the Chancellor. These measures include: HMRC’s Time to Pay flexibilities with tax bills, including VAT deferrals; HMT and the Bank of England’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility; the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme for large and small businesses; and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which provides financial support for employees. Employers in the aviation sector can apply for a grant that covers 80% of furloughed employees’ usual monthly wage costs, up to £2500 a month, plus the associated Employer National Insurance contributions and pension contributions.</p><p> </p><p>If airlines or airports find themselves in trouble as a result of coronavirus, even following the Government’s cross-economy wage and financial interventions, the Transport Secretary and Chancellor have confirmed that we are prepared to enter discussions with individual companies seeking bespoke support as a last resort, having exhausted all other options. Any intervention would need to represent value for money for taxpayers.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 07/07/2020 12:40:05 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1218595

registered interest
date	29/06/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Aviation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will (a) extend and (b) review the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to ensure people working in the aviation industry are effectively supported.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	66040
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2020 answer text <p>The Government recognises the challenging times facing the aviation sector as a result of COVID-19. Firms experiencing difficulties as a result of COVID-19 can draw upon the unprecedented package of measures announced by the Chancellor, including schemes to raise capital, flexibilities with tax bills, and financial support for employees.</p><p> </p><p>The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) is a temporary scheme in place for 8 months starting from 1 March and ending at the end of October.</p><p> </p><p>As of midnight 28 June 2020, the CJRS has helped 1.1 million employers across the UK furlough 9.3 million jobs, protecting people’s livelihoods.</p><p> </p><p>As the Chancellor set out in his letter to the aviation sector, should individual firms still find themselves in difficulty after exhausting all other options, the Government is prepared to enter negotiations with them as a last resort. Any intervention would need to represent value for money for taxpayers.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 07/07/2020 08:50:56 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1218596

registered interest
date	29/06/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Terminal Illnesses
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans to publish the findings from the review, announced in July 2019, on how the welfare system supports people who are terminally ill.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	66041
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2020 answer text <p>The evaluation remains a priority for the Department. The Department has made good progress and we expect to be able to provide an update on the outcome of the evaluation shortly.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 02/07/2020 16:17:31 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1218597

registered interest
date	29/06/2020
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Coronavirus: Prosecutions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the the CPS's findings that 53 unlawful and no lawful prosecutions have been pursued in England and Wales under the powers provided by Schedule 21 of the Coronavirus Act 2020, what plans he has to revise his assessment of the necessity of Schedule 21 in his two month report on that Act.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	66042
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2020 answer text <p>As per section 97(1)(b) of the Coronavirus Act 2020, the Secretary of State will make a statement in the two-monthly report about whether he considers the current status of non-devolved provisions to be appropriate. This is due to be published at the end of July. The first such statement was published on 29 May and can be found at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-act-report-may-2020" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-act-report-may-2020</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill grouped question UIN 66043 question first answered 16/07/2020 20:28:15 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill previous answer version 34394 answering member constituency Mid Bedfordshire answering member printed Ms Nadine Dorries answering member 1481
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1218598

registered interest
date	29/06/2020
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Coronavirus Act 2020
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the powers provided under Schedule 22 of the Coronavirus Act 2020 having not been used despite the outbreak having peaked in the UK and a public health response period having not been invoked, what plans he has to revise his assessment of the necessity of Schedule 22 in his two month report on that Act.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	66043
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2020 answer text <p>As per section 97(1)(b) of the Coronavirus Act 2020, the Secretary of State will make a statement in the two-monthly report about whether he considers the current status of non-devolved provisions to be appropriate. This is due to be published at the end of July. The first such statement was published on 29 May and can be found at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-act-report-may-2020" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-act-report-may-2020</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill grouped question UIN 66042 question first answered 16/07/2020 20:28:15 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill previous answer version 34395 answering member constituency Mid Bedfordshire answering member printed Ms Nadine Dorries answering member 1481
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker