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1240855

	registered interest
	date	06/10/2020
	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	Local Government Finance: 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 assessment he has made of the potential effect of the covid-19 outbreak on local authorities' finances.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow East
	tabling member printed	Bob Blackman
	uin	99597
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2020 answer text <p>Councils across the country are supporting communities, protecting the most vulnerable and helping the NHS in our efforts to combat Covid-19. In order to meet these additional cost pressures, the Government has continued to support local authorities by delivering an unprecedented package of measures. So far, we have provided over £4.8 billion in funding for spending pressures, including £3.7 billion of un-ringfenced grants and £1.1 billion to help stop the spread of the virus in care homes. This underlines Government’s commitment to ensuring adult social care has the resources it needs to keep residents and staff safe. In addition, the Prime Minister has announced a further £1 billion of funding for local authorities, details of which will be announced shortly. <br> <br> In total, over £28 billion has already been committed to local areas to support councils, businesses and communities across government. This comprehensive package of support includes direct financial support and cashflow measures for councils, bus and tram services, support for the homeless and both grants and rates reliefs for businesses. <br> <br> We will continue to monitor the impact of Covid-19 on local government.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall question first answered 14/10/2020 13:20:19 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	4005 label Biography information for Bob Blackman

1240853

	registered interest
	date	06/10/2020
	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	Local Government: Property
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of the borrowing undertaken by local authorities to fund investments in commercial property.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow East
	tabling member printed	Bob Blackman
	uin	99596
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2020 answer text <p>Local authorities borrow and invest under the Prudential Framework (the Framework) which is designed to ensure that the capital plans of local authorities are affordable, prudent and sustainable, while giving councils the freedom to set their own capital strategies. Government is responsible for ensuring the Framework remains effective in driving sound decision making, and collects appropriate data to monitor trends and identify risks, including from commercial investment activity. Government does not routinely undertake any assessment of the effectiveness of local decisions to borrow and invest; local authorities remain accountable to their electorate for managing their own investment strategies and meeting their best value duty. However, councils have to appropriately comply with the Framework’s statutory guidance, including the requirement to report performance against a set of metrics designed to demonstrate the objectives of the Framework are being met, and to publish an investment strategy.</p><p>Government is aware of recent trends where some local authorities are taking on high levels of debt to invest for commercial income, rather than for providing the functions of a council. We are clear that borrowing to invest for yield is not in keeping with the intent of the Framework and exposes councils and taxpayers to undue financial risk. We have already tightened our statutory guidance on investments to improve decision making, and we are now carefully considering the recommendations of the Public Accounts Committee’s report on local authority investment in commercial property (July 2020) and what further interventions are needed.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall grouped question UIN 99595 question first answered 14/10/2020 13:21:12 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	4005 label Biography information for Bob Blackman

1240852

	registered interest
	date	06/10/2020
	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	Local Government: Property
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of commercial property investments made by local authorities in the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow East
	tabling member printed	Bob Blackman
	uin	99595
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2020 answer text <p>Local authorities borrow and invest under the Prudential Framework (the Framework) which is designed to ensure that the capital plans of local authorities are affordable, prudent and sustainable, while giving councils the freedom to set their own capital strategies. Government is responsible for ensuring the Framework remains effective in driving sound decision making, and collects appropriate data to monitor trends and identify risks, including from commercial investment activity. Government does not routinely undertake any assessment of the effectiveness of local decisions to borrow and invest; local authorities remain accountable to their electorate for managing their own investment strategies and meeting their best value duty. However, councils have to appropriately comply with the Framework’s statutory guidance, including the requirement to report performance against a set of metrics designed to demonstrate the objectives of the Framework are being met, and to publish an investment strategy.</p><p>Government is aware of recent trends where some local authorities are taking on high levels of debt to invest for commercial income, rather than for providing the functions of a council. We are clear that borrowing to invest for yield is not in keeping with the intent of the Framework and exposes councils and taxpayers to undue financial risk. We have already tightened our statutory guidance on investments to improve decision making, and we are now carefully considering the recommendations of the Public Accounts Committee’s report on local authority investment in commercial property (July 2020) and what further interventions are needed.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall grouped question UIN 99596 question first answered 14/10/2020 13:21:12 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	4005 label Biography information for Bob Blackman

1240851

	registered interest
	date	06/10/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Public Sector: Property
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to update the Green Book to issue local authorities and other public sector bodies with guidance on how to manage land assets and commercial property investments.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow East
	tabling member printed	Bob Blackman
	uin	99594
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2020 answer text <p>HM Treasury will publish a revised Green Book at Spending Review 2020. This will reflect the findings of the Green Book review which was established at Budget 2020 to investigate whether the Green Book hindered the Government’s levelling up ambitions. It does not specifically address the management of land assets and commercial property investments. However, as part of a recent consultation, the Government set out that Local Authorities should not be investing in commercial property investments that serve no direct policy or treasury management purpose, and made proposals to amend the lending terms of the Public Works Loans Board (PWLB) to address the issue. The consultation closed on 31 July and the Government will be issuing a response in due course.</p> answering member constituency North East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Steve Barclay question first answered 12/10/2020 11:37:46 answering member 4095 label Biography information for Steve Barclay
	tabling member	4005 label Biography information for Bob Blackman

1240850

	registered interest
	date	06/10/2020
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Public Sector: Outdoor Advertising
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many outdoor advertising assets are held by the public sector in the UK; and what the value is of those assets.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow East
	tabling member printed	Bob Blackman
	uin	99593
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2020 answer text <p>National and local channels, including TV, radio, digital and social media, and out of home advertising, are essential for the Government’s communication with the public. We book large-scale outdoor advertising assets on a temporary basis from media owners, in line with campaign objectives and to maximise reach. These costs are regularly published as part of routine government transparency.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 14/10/2020 15:03:24 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
	tabling member	4005 label Biography information for Bob Blackman

1240753

	registered interest
	date	06/10/2020
	answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
	answering dept id	208
	answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
	hansard heading	Nagorno Karabakh: Armed Conflict
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether it is the Government's policy to support UN Security Council resolutions (a) 822, (b) 853, (c) 874 and (d) 884.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow East
	tabling member printed	Bob Blackman
	uin	99592
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2020 answer text <p>We acknowledge the importance of these UN Security Council Resolutions, which reaffirm the primacy of the OSCE Minsk Group as the international forum via which a peaceful settlement to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan should be reached. We consider that the Basic Principles for a settlement proposed by the Minsk Group Co-chairs provide the basis for a reasonable compromise in this regard, taking due account of the relevant OSCE principles governing relations between member-states.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 13/10/2020 11:58:24 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
	tabling member	4005 label Biography information for Bob Blackman

1239986

	registered interest
	date	02/10/2020
	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	Food Supply
	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 steps he is taking to ensure the resilience of the supply of food to (a) schools, (b) hospitals and (c) care homes.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow East
	tabling member printed	Bob Blackman
	uin	98702
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2020 answer text <p>The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain. Public sector food provision for specific sectors including schools, hospitals and care homes is led by the relevant government departments. My department is working closely with officials in DfE and DHSC, as the lead departments, to ensure food supply continues to schools, hospitals and care homes. My officials are providing advice and sharing relevant industry intelligence related to broader food supply concerns, in order to support lead government departments with contingency planning. This supports departments in their engagement with their food suppliers. DfE is working in partnership with food suppliers to ensure that schools can continue to provide pupils with nutritious meals. NHS England and DHSC are engaging with the supply chain for hospitals and care homes to ensure their suppliers are fully prepared for the end of the year.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 07/10/2020 16:16:13 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	4005 label Biography information for Bob Blackman

1239984

	registered interest
	date	02/10/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Food: Wholesale Trade
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the implications for his policies of a recent Federation of Wholesale Distributor’s survey which found that (a) 90 per cent of food and drink wholesalers surveyed are highly likely to make redundancies by the end of the year because of a 50 per cent to 70 per cent reduction in sales, (b) millions of pounds worth of stock not sold due to a loss in customers is close-to or has passed its best before date and (c) almost 60 per cent of wholesalers, which supply to critical public sector infrastructure such as schools, care homes and hospitals are at risk of collapse by the end of the year without urgent financial support; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow East
	tabling member printed	Bob Blackman
	uin	98701
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2020 answer text <p>The Government has provided unprecedented levels of support for workers and businesses to protect, as much as possible, against the current economic emergency. Food and drink wholesalers are eligible for a number of these support schemes, with the most relevant likely to include:</p><p> </p><ul><li>The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help keep millions of people in employment;</li><li>£10,000 cash grants for all business properties in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief and Rural Rates Relief;</li><li>The Bounce Back Loan Scheme for small businesses to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000, with no interest payments or fees for the first 12 months.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Food and drink wholesalers have also benefited from the recent Eat Out to Help Out Scheme which provided over 100 million half price meals during August and helped to protect the livelihoods of the 1.8 million people working in the hospitality sector.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Steve Barclay grouped question UIN 98698 98699 98719 question first answered 12/10/2020 11:00:37 answering member 4095 label Biography information for Steve Barclay
	tabling member	4005 label Biography information for Bob Blackman

1239983

	registered interest
	date	02/10/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Food: Wholesale Trade
	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 business rates relief to food and drink wholesalers in response to a Federation of Wholesale Distributors survey which found that 58 per cent of respondents who supply public services such as schools, hospitals and care homes said that these contracts were at real risk of collapse without further Government support.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow East
	tabling member printed	Bob Blackman
	uin	98700
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2020 answer text <p>The Government has provided enhanced support through business rates relief to eligible businesses occupying properties used for retail, hospitality and leisure. Business rates are devolved in Wales, and so are a matter for the Welsh Government.</p><p> </p><p>A range of other measures to support all business, including wholesalers, have also been made available. On 8 July the Chancellor set out a package of measures to support jobs across the UK, including a Job Retention Bonus to help firms keep furloughed workers. On 24 September the Chancellor went further and announced the Job Support Scheme to provide further support for jobs.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 98720 question first answered 12/10/2020 16:44:59 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4005 label Biography information for Bob Blackman

1239982

	registered interest
	date	02/10/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Food: Wholesale Trade
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the implications for his policies of the findings of a Federation of Wholesale Distributors survey that without business rates relief in the next month 65 per cent of food and drink wholesalers surveyed will be either very likely, likely or somewhat likely to make redundancies.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow East
	tabling member printed	Bob Blackman
	uin	98699
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2020 answer text <p>The Government has provided unprecedented levels of support for workers and businesses to protect, as much as possible, against the current economic emergency. Food and drink wholesalers are eligible for a number of these support schemes, with the most relevant likely to include:</p><p> </p><ul><li>The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help keep millions of people in employment;</li><li>£10,000 cash grants for all business properties in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief and Rural Rates Relief;</li><li>The Bounce Back Loan Scheme for small businesses to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000, with no interest payments or fees for the first 12 months.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Food and drink wholesalers have also benefited from the recent Eat Out to Help Out Scheme which provided over 100 million half price meals during August and helped to protect the livelihoods of the 1.8 million people working in the hospitality sector.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Steve Barclay grouped question UIN 98698 98701 98719 question first answered 12/10/2020 11:00:37 answering member 4095 label Biography information for Steve Barclay
	tabling member	4005 label Biography information for Bob Blackman