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1188353

registered interest
date	21/04/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to support furloughed employees that were employed after 28 February 2020 and are not eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
tabling member constituency	Feltham and Heston
tabling member printed	Seema Malhotra
uin	37687
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2020 answer text <p>The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme eligibility cut-off date has been pushed back from 28 February to 19 March, so that employers can claim for furloughed employees that were on their PAYE payroll on or before 19 March 2020 and for whom HMRC received an RTI submission notifying payment in respect of that employee on or before the 19 March 2020. This means that employees who were originally ineligible can now participate in the scheme.</p><p> </p>Those not eligible may be able to access other Government support, including a package of temporary welfare measures and up to three months’ mortgage payment holidays for those struggling with their mortgage payments. answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 28/04/2020 16:36:29 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4253 label Biography information for Seema Malhotra

1188451

registered interest
date	21/04/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the Government will pay tax credits claimants transitioning to universal credit until the their first universal credit payment is received.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	37506
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2020 answer text <p>Unlike Tax Credits, Universal Credit is assessed and paid monthly and is based on claimants’ actual earnings in the month, rather than their annual income.</p><p> </p><p>It is not possible to award a Universal Credit payment as soon as a claim is made, as the assessment period must run its course before the award of Universal Credit can be calculated. As a claimant’s first Universal Credit payment is paid from the date the claim was made, continuing to pay Tax Credits to former claimants in the interim period would result in dual provision.</p><p> </p><p>However, no one has to wait for financial support. Advance payments are available from day one to ensure that families have money to support them through this period.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, to support people during the Covid-19 outbreak we have made advances available online and over the phone, ensuring that claimants do not need to attend a jobcentre.</p> answering member constituency North East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Steve Barclay question first answered 27/04/2020 11:31:25 answering member 4095 label Biography information for Steve Barclay
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

1188868

registered interest
date	21/04/2020
answering body	Department for International Trade
answering dept id	202
answering dept short name	International Trade
answering dept sort name	International Trade
hansard heading	Small Businesses: Government Assistance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the (a) effectiveness of the Brexit voucher schemes in (i) Ireland and (ii) the Netherlands and (b) the potential merits of introducing a similar scheme in the UK to support SMEs with their trade with European partners after the UK leaves the EU.
tabling member constituency	Brent North
tabling member printed	Barry Gardiner
uin	38412
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2020 answer text <p>As part of work on a new Export Strategy we are examining the range of existing UK export promotion schemes and will consider the effectiveness of voucher schemes used elsewhere.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Beverley and Holderness answering member printed Graham Stuart question first answered 27/04/2020 12:24:55 answering member 1482 label Biography information for Graham Stuart
tabling member	146 label Biography information for Barry Gardiner

1188869

registered interest
date	21/04/2020
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	High Speed 2 Line: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will suspend all HS2 (a) preparation and (b) construction work during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Chesham and Amersham
tabling member printed	Dame Cheryl Gillan
uin	38409
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2020 answer text <p>The Government’s current policy is that construction activity, including HS2, should continue where it can be undertaken in accordance with the Public Health England guidance and industry best practice. I have asked HS2 Ltd to work closely with their construction partners to ensure compliance with these guidelines in order to protect local communities and their workforce. Sites will not operate where this cannot be achieved.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 27/04/2020 13:31:32 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
tabling member	18 label Biography information for Dame Cheryl Gillan

1188870

registered interest
date	21/04/2020
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	Statutory Sick Pay
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 a response to her Department’s consultation on statutory sick pay.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	38413
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2020 answer text <p>We plan to publish the response to the consultation ‘Health is everyone’s business: proposals to reduce ill health-related job loss’ later this year. The consultation set out proposals to encourage all employers to take positive action to support employees who are managing health conditions in work, and to manage sickness absence more effectively.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 27/04/2020 14:57:11 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1188871

registered interest
date	21/04/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Immigration: Married People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on families of the Minimum Income Requirements for non-EEA spouses and partners in the event that those family members are facing financial difficulties as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	38421
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2020 answer text <p>The Home Office has put in place a range of measures to support those affected by the covid-19 outbreak. We continue to monitor the situation closely and take these exceptional circumstances into account.</p><p>The minimum income requirement can be met in a number of ways in addition to or instead of income from employment or self-employment. For example, income from the couple’s investments, property rental or pension may also be taken into account, together with their cash savings. Where there are exceptional circumstances, other sources of income can be taken into account.</p><p>These are unprecedented times and we may make further adjustments to requirements where necessary and appropriate, to ensure people are not unduly affected by circumstances beyond their control.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 29/04/2020 16:17:10 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

1188874

registered interest
date	21/04/2020
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	Business: Loans
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy that (a) businesses that have become profitable after recent restructuring should not be precluded from being granted emergency business loans on the basis of unprofitable trading figures prior to their restructuring and (b) those businesses should be assessed on their recent profitability on the same basis as start-up businesses of a similar size.
tabling member constituency	New Forest East
tabling member printed	Dr Julian Lewis
uin	38410
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2020 answer text <p>The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) provides support to small businesses which were viable before the Covid-19 outbreak but are experiencing temporary adverse impacts due to Coronavirus.</p><p> </p><p>In order for a business to be eligible for the CBILs, it must be considered “viable” by the lender. The lender must consider that the applicant (or its business group) has a viable business proposition determined by the lender’s underwriting policies. Any concerns over its short-to-medium term business performance due to the uncertainty and impact of COVID-19 cannot be taken into account. The applicant must still satisfy the other eligibility criteria of the CBILS.</p><p> </p><p>For smaller value facilities (e.g. those of £30,000 or below) in determining the eligibility of the applicant, lenders may decide to determine the applicant’s credit worthiness based on its internal credit scoring models.</p><p> </p><p>Corresponding changes have been made to the eligibility criterion which previously required the applicant (or its business group) to have a business proposition that can reasonably be expected to enable it to meet its repayment obligations under a proposed facility.</p><p> </p><p>The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme cannot be used where an applicant was an “undertaking in difficulty” (UID) as at 31 December 2019. UID is defined to include businesses that have accumulated losses greater than half of their subscribed share capital as at 31 December 2019. In practice this means certain fast growth businesses may not be eligible for the CBILS (unless the business is less than three years old).</p><p> </p><p>The requirement for an UID assessment is a requirement under the European Commission’s Temporary State Aid measures and a direct result of State Aid clearance. The need for UID checks to be carried out for CBILS facilities below £30k has already been removed by the British Business Bank on the basis that loans of this size are considered to involve a de minimis amount of State Aid. For facilities above £30k, lenders are required to gain comfort that an SME is not an UID, but this includes the option for lenders to rely on self-certification for facilities of any size (i.e. up to £5m).</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 28/04/2020 14:17:59 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully previous answer version 17061 answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	54 label Biography information for Sir Julian Lewis

1188876

registered interest
date	21/04/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners' Transfers: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners have been moved from prisons in England to (a) HMP Berwyn, (b) HMP Cardiff, (c) HMP Parc, (d) HMP Swansea and (e) HMP Usk/Prescoed since the start of the covid-19 lockdown on 23 March 2020.
tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
tabling member printed	Liz Saville Roberts
uin	38474
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2020 answer text <p>We are working very closely with Public Health Wales to ensure our approach to the outbreak of Covid-19 is based on the best scientific advice available. It has been agreed that normal transfer processes would be suspended temporarily in order to reduce the opportunities for inter-prison transmission of Covid-19 in Wales. At present, all transfers must be agreed by exception through HM Prison and Probation Service’s command structure.</p><p> </p><p>Since the start of the Covid-19 lockdown on 23<sup>rd</sup> March, 11 prisoners and Young Persons have transferred from prisons in England to prisons in Wales. Due to the size of the data we are not able to provide a breakdown by prison.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 27/04/2020 16:32:23 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4521 label Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts

1188877

registered interest
date	21/04/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison Accommodation: Wales
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many inmates are housed in double cells in (a) HMP Berwyn, (b) HMP Cardiff, (c) HMP Parc, (d) HMP Swansea and (e) HMP Usk/Prescoed as at April 2020.
tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
tabling member printed	Liz Saville Roberts
uin	38475
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2020 answer text <p>Upon arrival into custody, all prisoners’ suitability to share a cell is risk assessed. These assessments are based on numerous factors including index offence, health concerns and security information (such as beliefs and prejudices). There are benefits to some prisoners sharing cells for the positive impact it has on mental health and stress levels, in addition to many prisoners preferring to share a cell.</p><p>Shared cells at HMP Berwyn are designed for two prisoners.</p><p>The table below shows the number of prisoners sharing a cell in prisons in Wales as at 22 April.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Prison</p></td><td><p>Total number of offenders sharing a cell</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>HMP Berwyn</p></td><td><p>1100</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>HMP Cardiff</p></td><td><p>426</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>HMP Parc</p></td><td><p>731</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>HMP Swansea</p></td><td><p>291</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>HMP Usk/Prescoed</p></td><td><p>299</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The Prison Service has implemented a three-pronged approach to contain the spread of COVID-19 within jails – known as ‘compartmentalisation’. In many prisons they have been able to isolate those with symptoms, shield the vulnerable and quarantine new arrivals for 14 days. Work to create additional space in the prison estate is continuing at pace, with the installation of temporary, single occupancy cells alongside the scheme to release low-risk offenders. Efforts to expedite sentencing hearings for those on remand are ongoing. Our actions have been informed by the advice of experts from Public Health England and Public Health Wales and will be kept under review.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 29/04/2020 15:25:04 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4521 label Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts

1188878

registered interest
date	21/04/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners' Release: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many inmates will be temporarily released from (a) HMP Berwyn, (b) HMP Cardiff, (c) HMP Parc, (d) HMP Swansea and (e) HMP Usk/Prescoed as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
tabling member printed	Liz Saville Roberts
uin	38476
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2020 answer text <p>In Wales, HM Prison and Probation Service has engaged directly with Welsh Government, local authorities, police, Public Health Wales and local health boards to plan for the release of individuals. In addition, we have established a multi-agency Homelessness Prevention Taskforce to ensure that accommodation issues do not unduly delay the potential release programme and ensure seamless integration of support services such as substance misuse, health and mental health ‘through the gate’.</p><p> </p><p>No offender will be released early without housing and healthcare support being in place. We have issued comprehensive instructions for the process of risk assessing those suitable for discharge under the early release scheme and the management of their discharge. This includes accommodation, police, probation checks as well as the risk management process, pre-release, licence conditions for the End of Custody Temporary Release and standard release, enforcement and electronic monitoring. The number of prisoners who will be temporarily released from Welsh establishments has not been finalised while risk assessments are carried out and support for individuals is arranged.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has agreed that individuals released through the early release scheme will be eligible for Universal Credit (UC) and the associated housing benefit element, where required. Therefore, for those in receipt of UC, the cost of accommodating individuals during this period will be covered through housing benefit. Additionally, where accommodation is secured, which is not eligible for housing benefit, or for which the costs are not fully covered by housing benefit, then HMPPS will cover the cost of the accommodation until the normal end of custody release date.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 38477 38478 question first answered 27/04/2020 16:44:28 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4521 label Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts