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1201300

registered interest
date	08/06/2020
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 Business Interruption Loan 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 discussions he has had with lenders accredited under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme; and what recent assessment he has made of the timeliness of those lenders in (a) approving and (b) releasing funds to small businesses that meet the eligibility criteria for that scheme.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	55934
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2020 answer text <p>The Government continues to hold a regular dialogue with the largest Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) lenders to monitor its implementation.</p><p>There are now over 80 accredited lenders of the CBILS and individual lending decisions remain at the discretion of these lenders. There has been significant demand for the Scheme and lenders are fully aware of the current urgency, so we expect them to respond appropriately to their customers’ needs.</p><p>Since the CBILS was introduced, Government has made several improvements to speed up the application process and ensure businesses are getting the support they need. These include:</p><ul><li>Clarifying that all lenders should use automated, rather than manual, credit checks when assessing the viability of a business;</li><li>Removing the forward-looking viability test;</li><li>Removing the per lender portfolio cap; and</li><li>Removing any requirement for the main lenders to interact with the British Business Bank systems before issuing loans.</li></ul><p>As of 14 June, facilities have been issued to 49,247 businesses, with a value of £10.11 billion.</p><p>We have also introduced the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS). This scheme helps small and medium-sized businesses to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000. To apply, businesses need to complete a simple online form which can be processed by their lender in a matter of days. As of 14 June, 863,584 loans have been issued, worth £26.34 billion.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to receive feedback on all our support for businesses and will seek to identify any areas for improvement.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 16/06/2020 15:12:04 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1201736

registered interest
date	08/06/2020
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	Environment Protection: Reviews
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has in place for the establishment of the new legal enforcement process of environmental review as proposed in the Environment Bill; and whether that process will be ready to receive cases by 1 January 2021.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	57163
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2020 answer text <p>Defra is working with colleagues across Government and the judiciary to ensure that the new legal mechanism of environmental review is established and able to receive cases from the point at which the relevant clauses of the Environment Bill are commenced, and the Office for Environmental Protection is operationally able to make applications for such a review.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 17/06/2020 11:07:37 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1199609

registered interest
date	02/06/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Newspaper Press: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much financial support has been provided from the public purse to (a) news providers who belong to the Independent Community News Network and (b) other news providers via (i) the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, (ii) the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, (iii) Government-backed loans, (iv) the deferral of the next quarter of VAT, (v) the scrapping of VAT on e-publications and (v) the £35 million public information campaign entitled All-in, All together.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	53370
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2020 answer text <p>The four government backed loan schemes have seen over £40bn lent to hundreds of thousands of businesses, whilst, as of midnight 7<sup>th</sup> June, 8.9 million jobs had been furloughed through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), with a total of £19.6bn claimed, and 2.6 million claims had been made through the Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), with a total value of £7.5 bn. The VAT deferral is worth over £30 billion or 1.5% of GDP with £22.4bn deferred by 251,000 businesses so far.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has published aggregate application and approval figures on the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) and Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) since 12 May but does not hold specific breakdown information relating to collective sectors or organisations which have accessed these schemes, including the Independent News Network and other news providers. The Government is actively considering what further data can be made available in the future. HMRC will publish Official Statistics covering the CJRS and the SEISS on 11 June.</p> answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 10/06/2020 15:10:04 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1199610

registered interest
date	02/06/2020
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Newspaper Press: Advertising
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much public health and NHS advertising has been placed with (a) members of the Independent Community News Network and (b) other news providers since 23 March 2020.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	53371
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2020 answer text <p>I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to PQ <a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&amp;max=20&amp;questiontype=AllQuestions&amp;house=commons%2Clords&amp;uin=46692" target="_blank">46692</a> on 29 May 2020.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 12/06/2020 11:37:01 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1199611

registered interest
date	02/06/2020
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Temporary Accommodation: LGBT+ People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many LGBTIQA+ specialist refuges and hostels there are in England.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	53372
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2020 answer text <p>My Department does not hold central data on the number of specialist refuges in England.</p><p>However, I can confirm that we do support specialist refuges, including LGBTIQA+ specialist refuges, which provide safe accommodation for victims of domestic abuse and their children. During 2020/21 we have committed funding to support safe accommodation services, including, £16.6 million to 75 local authority-led projects, and a further £10 million emergency funding to support safe accommodation charitable providers during the Covid-19 pandemic.</p><p>On 5 June we announced that £8.1 million of this emergency support funding will be granted to 103 successful charity bids, supporting a total of 147 charities providing domestic abuse safe accommodation of which 42 organisations are providing specialist support to diverse groups. The remaining funding remains open for bids and we would welcome applications from those providing vital specialist support.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall question first answered 10/06/2020 16:31:52 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1199102

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
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: Disease Control
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the Government’s criteria are for the application of the precautionary principle in relation to public health risks; on what occasions the precautionary principle has been applied to tackling covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	52648
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2020 answer text <p>The precautionary principle is conventionally used to “advise caution in the uptake of innovations with known benefits but uncertain or unmeasurable downsides”. The public health response to COVID-19 considers all available scientific evidence, as well as expert scientific advice. Where there is scientific uncertainty, it is not unusual for public health authorities to take a reasonable but precautionary approach, such as buying ventilators and creating Nightingale hospitals.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 25/06/2020 11:56:07 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1199594

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
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	NHS: Agency Workers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what financial support is available to NHS bank staff who are not eligible for universal credit and have had (a) no working hours and (b) their hours reduced since the start of the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	53367
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2020 answer text <p>Data from NHS Professionals shows that 2,320 fewer bank staff have taken shifts in April and May this year, compared to April and May 2019. However, those who have chosen to work in this period have taken more shifts on average. Many of these bank staff also have a substantive contract and will continue to be working.</p><p>NHS England and NHS Improvement have monitored the number of bank shifts at a trust level. In February 2020, 55 trusts reduced the number of bank shifts undertaken; in March this rose to 89 trusts; and in April this fell to 85 trusts. No trusts that recorded using bank shifts in 2019 recorded nil bank shifts during February, March and April 2020.</p><p>If these workers are self-employed, they may be able to access the Government’s Self-Employment Income Support Scheme. Some National Health Service trusts are offering these workers alternative flexible working options, including annualised hours contracts. Some staff have also been offered roles with the Track and Trace programme.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately grouped question UIN 53368 question first answered 11/06/2020 11:48:35 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1198947

registered interest
date	29/05/2020
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Domestic Abuse: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing,Communities and Local Government, what comparative assessment he has made of the complexity of the application process for the (a) Domestic abuse safe accommodation: Covid-19 Emergency Support Fund and (ii) Coronavirus Small Business Grant Fund; and what steps his Department is taking to enable specialist domestic abuse services to respond flexibly to the priorities they identify during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	51837
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/06/2020 answer text <p>My Department has not made a comparative assessment of the complexity of the application process as these two funds are very different. The Small Business Grants Fund is administered by local authorities on the Government’s behalf with entitlement based on eligibility for business rates relief. Some local authorities were able to pay businesses directly, whilst others used simple forms to collect the information they needed to make payments.</p><p>The domestic abuse safe accommodation emergency fund was open to all safe accommodation charities to apply directly to MHCLG through a simple open competitive bidding process. We worked with the Domestic Abuse Commissioner to ensure the application process was as quick and straightforward as possible while still enabling a robust assessment and ensuring value for public money. Asking local authorities to administer was not considered the best option as not all safe accommodation charities are commissioned by local authorities.</p><p>The funding will enable safe accommodation charities to maintain existing services as well as respond flexibly to specific pressures arising from Covid-19</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall question first answered 09/06/2020 15:18:14 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1198470

registered interest
date	26/05/2020
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Coronavirus: Disease Control
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to set up a full public inquiry into the Government's response to the covid-19 outbreak with a remit to include (a) who in Government was responsible for preparedness and (b) the quality of the Government's (i) responses and (ii) decisions; if he will undertake preparatory work on that public inquiry so that public hearings can start in 2020; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	51832
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/06/2020 answer text <p>As the Government has made clear, at some point in the future there will be an opportunity for us to look back, to reflect and to learn lessons. However, at the moment, the important thing is to focus on responding to the current situation. The Government has set out its strategic response to COVID-19 in “Our Plan to Rebuild: The UK Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy”, which is available <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/our-plan-to-rebuild-the-uk-governments-covid-19-recovery-strategy/our-plan-to-rebuild-the-uk-governments-covid-19-recovery-strategy" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 09/06/2020 16:08:52 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1197463

registered interest
date	20/05/2020
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Islamophobia
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group’s report entitled Coronavirus, fear and how Islamophobia spreads on social media, what steps his Department is taking to work with (a) social media companies and (b) relevant statutory bodies to (i) address a potential rise in Islamophobia as a consequence of the coronavirus pandemic and (ii) prevent a future increase in hate crimes when the covid-19 lockdown comes to an end.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	49639
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2020 answer text <p>The Government takes hate crime and discrimination of any kind very seriously.</p><p>The Government is working closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), civil society partners and social media platforms to encourage victim reporting of both online and offline hate crime and ensure social media companies continue to prioritise the removal of hateful content during the Covid-19 pandemic.</p><p>The Government is also working with communities, civil society partners and the police to monitor and address any developments in hate crime as government Covid-19 restrictions change.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall question first answered 04/06/2020 13:20:00 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas