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1233225

registered interest
date	10/09/2020
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	Hydrogen: Air Pollution
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What assessment the Government has made of the potential role of hydrogen technology in improving air quality.
tabling member constituency	Twickenham
tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
uin	905828
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2020 answer text <p>The potential role of hydrogen technology has been considered in a number of Government publications, including Defra’s Air Quality Expert Group’s recent report, ‘Impacts of Net Zero pathways on future air quality in the UK,’ the outputs of the Department for Transport’s ‘Transport Energy Model,’ and also in two literature reviews published by BEIS of the emissions likely to arise from hydrogen combustion and of the atmospheric impacts of hydrogen.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 10/09/2020 16:12:01 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson

1233226

registered interest
date	10/09/2020
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	Plastics: Pollution Control
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What steps he is taking to tackle plastic pollution.
tabling member constituency	North Devon
tabling member printed	Selaine Saxby
uin	905824
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2020 answer text <p>We have made real progress in tackling plastic pollution. We have introduced a microbead ban and reduced single-use plastic carrier bag usage by 95% in the main supermarkets. We are increasing the single-use carrier bag charge to 10p and extending it to all retailers and we are restricting the supply of plastic straws, stirrers and cotton-buds. We are seeking powers in the Environment Bill to charge for single-use plastic items, make recycling more consistent and reform packaging waste regulations.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 10/09/2020 16:12:21 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4863 label Biography information for Selaine Saxby

1233347

registered interest
date	10/09/2020
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Employment: Contracts
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 steps he is taking to support staff who are being forced to renegotiate contracts when the furlough scheme ends.
tabling member constituency	Rother Valley
tabling member printed	Alexander Stafford
uin	88418
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2020 answer text <p>The terms and conditions of employment are for negotiation and agreement between employers and employees (or their representatives). Provided they do not discriminate unlawfully, for example on grounds of race, sex or disability, employers are free to offer the terms and conditions of employment which best suit their business needs.</p><p> </p><p>Once agreed, they form a legally binding contract of employment. While it is always open to either party to seek to renegotiate the terms of the contract, if the employer changes any of the terms without the employee's agreement, the employee may be entitled to seek legal redress. We expect all employers, to treat employees fairly. Depending on the extent and likely impact of the proposed changes, employers should meet with affected employees or their trade union representatives, and explain their case for making the proposed change.</p><p> </p><p>A guidance document which contains more information on the law in this area is available at <a href="http://www.gov.uk/browse/working" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/browse/working</a>. Employees may wish to seek independent legal advice, perhaps from their local Citizens Advice Bureau or law centre, if they are unclear on their contractual position.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 18/09/2020 11:40:46 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4866 label Biography information for Alexander Stafford

1233348

registered interest
date	10/09/2020
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
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 recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of compliance of large companies with redundancy and recruitment regulatory frameworks during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Rother Valley
tabling member printed	Alexander Stafford
uin	88419
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2020 answer text <p>All employers must continue to comply with the law on redundancy.</p><p> </p><p>Any redundancy process should be fair and reasonable, with appropriate equalities considerations. When making redundancies, employers must abide by the law which includes giving a notice period and consulting staff before a final decision is reached. If a company has failed to adequately consult its employees before making them redundant, it may be possible for employees to apply to an Employment Tribunal for a Protective Award.</p><p> </p><p>When recruiting, employers should be fair and objective in their selection of successful candidates and must not discriminate unlawfully, for example on grounds of race, sex or disability.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has also introduced new legislation which commenced on 31 July to ensure that furloughed employees who are subsequently made redundant receive statutory redundancy pay, statutory notice pay, unfair dismissal compensation and pay for short-time working based on the employee’s normal pay, rather than their furlough pay (potentially 80% of their normal wage). The Government has always urged employers to do the right thing and not seek to disadvantage furloughed employees who are facing redundancy.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 18/09/2020 11:46:26 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4866 label Biography information for Alexander Stafford

1233349

registered interest
date	10/09/2020
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
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 steps he is taking to ensure that companies that have received funding from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme comply with employment law on recruitment and redundancy processes.
tabling member constituency	Rother Valley
tabling member printed	Alexander Stafford
uin	88420
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2020 answer text <p>Our guidance to employers using the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) makes clear that employees still have the same rights at work. They must continue to comply with employment and equalities laws when using the scheme, including in relation to recruitment, redundancy and dismissal.</p><p> </p><p>Employers should always be fair and objective in their recruitment processes. Provided they do not discriminate unlawfully, for example on grounds of race, sex or disability, they are free to use the recruitment methods that they consider best suit their needs.</p><p> </p><p>Any redundancy process should be fair and reasonable, with appropriate equalities considerations. Employees with the necessary qualifying service who believe that they have been unfairly selected for redundancy, or that the redundancy was unfair in some other way, may be able to complain to an employment tribunal.</p><p>The Government has also introduced new legislation which commenced on 31 July to ensure that furloughed employees who are subsequently made redundant receive statutory redundancy pay, statutory notice pay, unfair dismissal compensation and pay for short-time working based on the employee’s normal pay, rather than their furlough pay (potentially 80% of their normal wage). The Government has always urged employers to do the right thing and not seek to disadvantage furloughed employees who are facing redundancy.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 18/09/2020 11:49:53 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4866 label Biography information for Alexander Stafford

1233350

registered interest
date	10/09/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme: Companies
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of the reduction of standard monthly payments to criminal legal aid firms on those firms.
tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull East
tabling member printed	Karl Turner
uin	88297
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2020 answer text <p>At present, 17% of all crime accounts are paid under the Standard Monthly Payment (‘SMP’) model. The remainder have opted for Variable Monthly Payments, which pays the actual value of the claim submitted each month. Firms can elect to be paid by either model, according to which may be most advantageous to them. SMPs relate to Controlled Work services only, and therefore reflect a proportion of a provider’s total revenue.</p><p>The number of those accounts paid via SMP which have seen a reduction in payments since July 2020 represents 6% of all crime accounts. Where a reduction is necessary, this takes effect following the Legal Aid Agency notifying providers of this in advance. Firms facing financial hardship can discuss payment options further with their LAA Contract Manager.</p><p>The LAA has implemented several changes to maintain cashflow to firms and to allow firms to be paid more quickly – through these changes we can inject up to £51 million per year into criminal legal aid. We have begun a review into how criminal lawyers are compensated for their work: <a href="https://consult.justice.gov.uk/criminal-legal-aid/criminal-legal-aid-review/" target="_blank">https://consult.justice.gov.uk/criminal-legal-aid/criminal-legal-aid-review/</a>.</p><p>In addition to the support schemes offered by the government, we have continued to pay providers on time and introduced a number of measures to speed up payments to providers. All of the measures taken by the LAA are set out on our gov.uk page: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-legal-aid-agency-contingency-response#financial-relief-page" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-legal-aid-agency-contingency-response#financial-relief-page.</a></p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk question first answered 15/09/2020 16:51:18 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
tabling member	4030 label Biography information for Karl Turner

1233351

registered interest
date	10/09/2020
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	Universal Credit: Darlington
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support people transitioning from legacy benefits to universal credit in Darlington constituency.
tabling member constituency	Darlington
tabling member printed	Peter Gibson
uin	88398
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/09/2020 answer text <p>We currently spend over £95 billion a year on working age benefits including Universal Credit and remain committed to supporting the most vulnerable in society.</p><p> </p><p>Recent changes to Universal Credit include temporarily increasing the standard allowance by up to £1,040 per year and increasing the Local Housing Allowance rates, including the Shared Accommodation element, so that it covers the lowest 30% of local market rents benefiting over one million households by £600 a year on average.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Department has delivered a number of improvements to support claimants during their first assessment period, such as removing waiting days and paying those claimants moving from Housing Benefit on to Universal Credit a two week ‘transitional housing payment’. Since July 2020, an additional two-week run has been introduced to assist eligible claimants moving from Income Support, Employment and Support Allowance (IR) and Jobseeker’s Allowance (IB). Advance payments are available so nobody has to wait five weeks for payment.</p><p> </p><p>We are also doubling the number of work coaches across our network of jobcentres, from 13,500 to 27,000, so that every jobseeker receives tailored support to get back on their feet, build skills and move into work</p><p> </p><p>We recognise that some people will need extra help to successfully establish a claim to Universal Credit. Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland, have supported in excess of 250,000 individuals through ‘Help to Claim’ since April 2019, offering tailored and practical support to help people make a Universal Credit claim and up to receiving their first full correct payment on time. ‘Help to Claim’ is funded by the Department and is available online, on the phone and face-to-face in locations including Jobcentres and Citizen’s Advice offices.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 17/09/2020 16:08:07 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4754 label Biography information for Peter Gibson

1233352

registered interest
date	10/09/2020
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Shipping: Carbon Emissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with representatives of the maritime sector on the role that decarbonising the maritime sector can play in reaching net zero by 2050.
tabling member constituency	Harrow East
tabling member printed	Bob Blackman
uin	88293
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2020 answer text <p>The domestic maritime sector falls under the UK’s national net zero target, and in common with the wider economy will need to be decarbonised by 2050 in order to achieve net zero.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has regular meetings with industry and civil society representatives on the issue of decarbonisation, to discuss both domestic Net Zero and the international work to address GHG emissions being undertaken at the International Maritime Organization.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Witney answering member printed Robert Courts question first answered 18/09/2020 13:22:43 answering member 4589 label Biography information for Robert Courts
tabling member	4005 label Biography information for Bob Blackman

1233353

registered interest
date	10/09/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals: Voucher Schemes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer on 20 July 2020 to Question 74468 on Free School Meals: Voucher Schemes, what the source of funding was for Edenred's delivery of the School Food Voucher scheme.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	88255
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/09/2020 answer text <p>The government has taken unprecedented and substantial action to ensure that children do not go hungry as we take measures to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak, including in relation to free school meals.</p><p>In the first instance, we asked schools to support eligible pupils at home by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. For circumstances where this was not possible, we also established a national voucher scheme to support schools and families while schools were closed to most pupils.</p><p>The cost of the vouchers issued to parents under the national voucher scheme and the COVID-19 Summer Food Fund were met by Her Majesty’s Treasury.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 17/09/2020 16:52:27 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1233354

registered interest
date	10/09/2020
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: Buckinghamshire
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve access to covid-19 testing in Buckinghamshire.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	88299
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2020 answer text <p>We have established a regional testing site at South Second Street Car Park in Milton Keynes and a local testing site at The Gateway Car Park, Buckinghamshire Council in Aylesbury. Our laboratories are processing more than a million tests a week and are scaling up our testing capacity even further to 500,000 tests a day by the end of October, expanding our network of testing sites and laboratories as well as investing in new testing technologies.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately question first answered 17/11/2020 11:59:56 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately previous answer version 47417 answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker