Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1190197

registered interest
date	24/04/2020
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	Social Services: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans the Government has to increase the (a) pay and (b) statutory sick pay of carers during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	39768
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/05/2020 answer text <p>We are incredibly proud of all our staff in social care. We are working hard to ensure that carers feel supported and safe to continue the fight against COVID-19.</p><p>We have announced £1.6 billion of funding for local authorities to help support adult social care providers and staff to respond to COVID-19. This includes the cost of maintaining income as far as possible for those that are unable to work. This aims to ensure that carers who are unwell or self-isolating do not lose out financially because they are doing the right thing. This is on top of measures that allow the payment of Statutory Sick Pay from the first day of sickness or isolation.</p><p>In addition, eligible employers will be able to reclaim up to two weeks of statutory sick pay paid for absences relating to COVID-19.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately question first answered 04/05/2020 14:53:03 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1190233

registered interest
date	24/04/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Detention Centres: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure migrants in immigration detention are able to access soap and sanitiser.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	39786
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/05/2020 answer text <p>The safety and health of people in the detention estate is of the utmost importance. We are following all Public Health England guidance on COVID-19 and have robust contingency plans in place, including measures such as shielding and use of personal protective equipment.</p><p>Basic hygiene is a key part of tackling COVID-19. Handwashing facilities are available in all immigration removal centres and we are working closely with suppliers to ensure we have an adequate supply of soap and cleaning materials. In addition, each centre has posters and leaflets to inform staff and detainees about the importance of handwashing and social distancing to minimise the risk from COVID-19. Detainees are also able to speak to staff directly for advice on the protective measures in place.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 04/05/2020 16:18:43 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1190244

registered interest
date	24/04/2020
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: Protective Clothing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to issue guidance to front line NHS and care workers on the reuse of personal protective equipment.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	39789
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2020 answer text <p>Public Health England published ‘COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE)’ updated guide on 17 April. This advises that suitable decontamination arrangements for some PPE items should be obtained from the manufacturer, supplier or local infection control. This guidance also included advice on when PPE can be reused.</p><p> </p><p>Public Health England’s guide can be viewed at the following link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-infection-prevention-and-control/covid-19-personal-protective-equipment-ppe" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-infection-prevention-and-control/covid-19-personal-protective-equipment-ppe</a></p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 13/05/2020 09:56:05 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1190255

registered interest
date	24/04/2020
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	Agriculture: Coronavirus
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 his Department has to provide to support the people in the agricultural sector affected by market disruption during the covid-19 outbreak through a mechanism similar to the retail and hospitality grant scheme.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	39794
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/05/2020 answer text <p>The Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF) is a specific fund that is run by local authorities and linked to business rates. Most farmers are exempt from business rates so the rationale and operation of this scheme is unsuitable for the farming sector.</p><p> </p><p>The department has been in close discussion with banks to ensure the farming sector has access to financial support to ease cashflow problems during this period, including through the HMG backed Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan (CBIL), and the Bounce Back Loan scheme, which was announced on 27 April, and is the latest step in a package of support measures announced by the Chancellor. The Government will provide lenders with a 100% guarantee on each loan, to give lenders the confidence they need to support small businesses. These loans will be from £2,000 up to £50,000, capped at 25% of firms’ turnover, and the Government will cover the first 12 months of interest payments and fees charged to the business by the lender. Almost all UK businesses will be eligible to apply for a loan under the scheme.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, we have temporarily relaxed certain elements of competition law to support the farming sector during this period. Legislation will be laid shortly to enable collaboration between dairy farmers and producers, supporting them to adapt to changes in the supply chain including decreased demand from the hospitality sector. The legislation will have retrospective effect.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 04/05/2020 16:15:39 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1190256

registered interest
date	24/04/2020
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	Milk: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will hold urgent discussions with with key stakeholders in the diary industry on managing the milk supply chain.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	39795
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/05/2020 answer text <p>Defra is working very closely with both farmer and processor representatives through this period of disruption to manage the impact on the dairy supply chain of Covid-19 including holding a number of roundtable discussions with the sector. Farmers supplying milk to processors that sell into the food service sector have seen a significant reduction in demand and we have taken several steps to support those affected.</p><p>In order to support affected farmers, we have eased some elements of competition law to make it easier for processors to come together to maximise production and processing and storage efficiency until shops, restaurants and pubs are able to open again. This SI was laid before Parliament on 1 May and applies retrospectively from 1 April 2020. The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and Dairy UK have agreed to work with farmers and processors to help industry take advantage of these easements. The SI is available at the following link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/481/contents/made" target="_blank">http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/481/contents/made</a></p><p>The Government's Covid-19 Business Interruption Loans scheme is available to the dairy industry and where this is appropriate for this business, I urge farm businesses to access the loans that are available to support them in this difficult period. Defra has held urgent discussions with the major banks to ensure they understand that farmers, milk buyers and milk processors are eligible for this scheme and we are working to increase awareness across the dairy industry. HMT have also now announced the new Bounce Back Loan scheme which will apply to businesses operating in agriculture. This will ensure that the smallest businesses can access up to £50,000 loans. The Government will provide lenders with a 100% guarantee on each loan, to give lenders the confidence they need to support the smallest businesses in the country. We will also cover the first 12 months of interest payments and fees charged to the business by the lender.</p><p>The Government also took a number of early emergency steps to support dairy farmers and the wider sector. These included designating employees in the food sector as key workers and temporarily relaxing the normal rules on drivers' hours, enabling the sector to keep supply chains running, including deliveries from farm gate to processors.</p><p>The existing public intervention scheme for skimmed milk powder and butter continues to be available. This provides a floor price for dairy products, supporting the dairy industry to sell skimmed milk powder and butter into public intervention when the price they would receive on the open market falls below the intervention price. The European Commission has this week approved the opening of additional measures for private storage aid which UK processors will be able to access should they chose to.</p><p>We will continue to engage closely with farmer and processor representatives to ensure that we support them throughout this challenging period.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 05/05/2020 16:40:22 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1190196

registered interest
date	23/04/2020
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	Veterinary Services: Coronavirus
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 his Department is taking to support (a) small and (b) independent veterinary practices during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	39767
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/05/2020 answer text <p>The veterinary profession is vital in maintaining high standards of animal health and welfare in UK, particularly at this very challenging time.</p><p> </p><p>Working alongside HM Treasury, Defra is in regular contact with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), British Veterinary Association (BVA) and other key stakeholders to ensure we understand the economic impacts to small independent veterinary practices and the wider industry over the Covid-19 outbreak.</p><p> </p><p>Following the Prime Minister’s statement of 23 March bringing in the lockdown measures, the veterinary professional bodies produced guidance focussing on the provision of essential services only. This was updated from 13 April, reducing the restrictions. Under this guidance it is for individual vets to make decisions about what work can and should be undertaken and how to do this in line with social distancing guidelines including remote consultations, if practical.</p><p> </p><p>Veterinary practices should be able to access Bounce Back loans, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) or the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS), subject to eligibility criteria for each scheme. Many vets and locums are self-employed and there is also a range of support available where they can demonstrate the financial impact of the Coronavirus outbreak.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 38666 question first answered 05/05/2020 15:41:19 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel