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1277438

registered interest
date	18/01/2021
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	Bounce Back 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 assessment his Department has made of the potential default rate for SMEs that took out loans under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme; and what steps he is taking to reduce that rate.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	138941
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2021 answer text <p>The preliminary estimate of default rates was published in the BEIS Annual Report and Accounts for 19/20, is based on losses observed in previous programmes which are similar to the Scheme. However these estimates are highly uncertain.</p><p> </p><p>In order to reduce the potential default rate for SMEs, on 24th September my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the Pay As You Grow measures. Under the measures, the Government will give all businesses that borrowed under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) the option to repay their loan over a period of up to ten years. This will reduce their average monthly repayments on the loan by almost half. UK businesses will also have the option to move temporarily to interest-only payments for periods of up to six months (an option which they can use up to three times), or to pause their repayments entirely for up to six months (an option they can use once and only after having made six payments).</p><p> </p><p>These changes will provide greater flexibility to repay these loans over a longer period and in a way that better suits businesses’ individual circumstances. A business which took out a £30,000 Bounce Back Loan would see their average monthly repayments fall from £532 to £309 (42% reduction) if they repaid the loan over 10 years rather than six. The same borrower could temporarily reduce their monthly repayments to just £63 if they switched to interest-only repayments.</p><p> </p><p>The first Bounce Back Loans repayments will begin in May 2021, and businesses will have the opportunity to request these Pay as you Grow measures before their first repayments fall due.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 21/01/2021 16:09:07 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1277439

registered interest
date	18/01/2021
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Business: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of setting up an equity finance scheme to support businesses through the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	138942
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2021 answer text As part of the government’s response to Covid-19, we developed the Future Fund, which provides equity finance for high growth, highly innovative companies. As of December, more than 900 firms have taken part in the scheme. answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 21/01/2021 14:34:00 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1277501

registered interest
date	18/01/2021
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: Vaccination
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to vaccinate partners of clinically extremely vulnerable persons at the same time that those persons are vaccinated to reduce risks to their care.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	138943
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2021 answer text <p>The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) are the independent experts who advise the Government on which vaccines the United Kingdom should use and provide advice on prioritisation at a population level, based on their assessments.</p><p>In line with current advice from the JCVI, adult members of a household that includes someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) are prioritised for vaccination according to their own age and clinical risk. They are not prioritised based on sharing a household with someone who is CEV, whether this person is an adult or a child, so will not be vaccinated at the same time.</p><p>Exceptions to this rule include those who are in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill. These people should be offered vaccination in priority group six. Additionally, on 29 March 2021, the JCVI advised that household contacts of the immunosuppressed should be offered a COVID-19 vaccination alongside priority group six, and these people will be vaccinated accordingly.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 12/04/2021 14:02:06 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1276136

registered interest
date	13/01/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Students: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress the Government has made on mass lateral flow testing of university students; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	137198
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2021 answer text <p>The Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care have worked in partnership with higher education (HE) institutions to deliver an asymptomatic mass testing programme to ensure that students could travel home from university in December and that students reading a subject listed within the guidance as essential in order to support the pipeline of future workers (as well as those with exemptions as outlined in guidance) can travel back to university safely and with confidence while protecting themselves, their friends, family and wider community.</p><p>Officials worked with the sector to ensure that almost all HE institutions were ready to provide 2 COVID-19 tests to students that returned in January 2021. I also wrote to Vice Chancellors on 21 January 2021, announcing that providers should commence regular ongoing lateral flow testing from 25 January 2021.</p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 28/01/2021 16:49:56 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1274674

registered interest
date	08/01/2021
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Buildings: VAT
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing the VAT rate on building refurbishment works to zero.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	134418
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/01/2021 answer text The Government already maintains a reduced rate of VAT at five per cent, subject to certain conditions, for residential renovations.<p> </p><p>Introducing a zero rate of VAT would come at a significant cost to the Exchequer, estimated at about £4 billion per year, which would have to be balanced by a reduction in public spending, higher borrowing or increased taxation elsewhere. While the Government keeps all taxes under review, there are no plans to change the VAT treatment of the repair and renovation of buildings.A</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 134445 question first answered 13/01/2021 15:43:20 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1274675

registered interest
date	08/01/2021
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Energy: VAT
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing the VAT rate to zero for existing dwellings when making energy efficient improvements as part of any climate change strategy.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	134419
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/01/2021 answer text <p>The installation of various environmentally friendly home improvement materials, such as insulation and draft stripping, is already eligible for relief from VAT, subject to certain conditions.</p><p> </p><p>Although the Government keeps all taxes under review, there are no plans to change the VAT treatment of home improvements at present.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 18/01/2021 14:36:15 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1274692

registered interest
date	08/01/2021
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Music: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if his Department will publish revised guidance to allow amateur singing groups to resume rehearsing and performing in a covid-secure way.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	134420
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2021 answer text <p>On 4 January the Prime Minister announced that new national restrictions would come into effect the following day in England to help stem the spread of coronavirus and the new variant strain of the virus. Guidance on the national restrictions advise that people should only leave home for a limited number of reasons and that people should travel to work only where it is unreasonable for you to do your job from home. We have updated the Performing Arts Guidance to be clear that during this period all amateur activity including amateur choirs and orchestras, cannot take place.</p><p>We are committed to moving to stage 5 of the performing arts roadmap, for both professional and amater activity, as soon as it is safe to do so. However we have always been clear that the activity permitted would be in line with the latest public health context.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 15/01/2021 13:55:39 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1274693

registered interest
date	08/01/2021
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: Licensed Premises
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason takeaway alcohol sales from pubs and restaurants are not permitted in the January 2021 covid-19 lockdown on the same basis as the previous lockdown; and if he will permit those sales.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	134421
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/01/2021 answer text <p>Throughout the pandemic, the Government has listened carefully to the views of the scientific community, the information from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and its sub-groups when taking decisions on the best way to tackle the pandemic.</p><p>In recognition of the importance of transparency in these unprecedented times, SAGE has been publishing the statements and the accompanying evidence it has reviewed to demonstrate how the scientific understanding of COVID-19 has continued to evolve as new data emerges and how SAGE’s advice has quickly adapted to new findings that reflect a changing situation. Hospitality venues such as cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars and social clubs must close, with the exception of providing food and non-alcoholic drinks for takeaway until 11pm, click-and-collect and drive-through. All food and drink including alcohol can continue to be provided by delivery.</p><p>The Government has these restrictions constantly under review.</p> answering member constituency Mid Bedfordshire answering member printed Ms Nadine Dorries question first answered 13/01/2021 14:33:34 answering member 1481 label Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1271799

registered interest
date	16/12/2020
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	China: Minority Groups
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the (a) the Chinese Government, (b) the international community and (c) UK businesses on the treatment of Uighurs and other minorities in Xinjiang.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	130707
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/01/2021 answer text <p>The UK has played a leading international role in holding China to account for its human rights violations in Xinjiang. Most recently, in October, alongside Germany we brought together a total of 39 countries to express grave concern at the situation in Xinjiang in a joint statement at the UN Third Committee. We have engaged more than 50 countries on this issue in recent months. The Foreign Secretary has raised our serious concerns directly with his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister and State Councillor Wang Yi on a number of occasions this year. FCDO officials regularly engage business and other stakeholders including trade bodies to raise awareness of China's human rights violations, and underline our view that businesses must take steps to ensure their supply chains are free of forced labour. We continue to urge all UK businesses to conduct due diligence on their supply chains and are taking steps to strengthen supply chain transparency under the Modern Slavery Act.</p> answering member constituency Selby and Ainsty answering member printed Nigel Adams question first answered 11/01/2021 13:44:39 answering member 4057 label Biography information for Nigel Adams
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1259689

registered interest
date	09/12/2020
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, with reference to the ONS surveys of 30 October and 4 December 2020, whether he has made an assessment of (a) the reasons for the ONS downgrade of its estimate of covid-19 in England from 9.52 per 10,000 on 17 October to 4.89 per 10,000 on 17 October 2020 and (b) the effect of that revision on the Government’s decision to enter into a second national lockdown in November 2020; and what steps the Government is taking to ensure that future covid-19 data published by the ONS will not require significant revision at a later date.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	127537
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2021 answer text <p>The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have published an extensive methodology document in relation to their COVID-19 Infection Survey, which states that:</p><p> </p><p>“All estimates presented in our bulletins are provisional results. As swabs are not necessarily analysed in date order by the laboratory, we have not yet received test results for all swabs taken on the dates included in this analysis. Estimates may therefore be revised as more test results are included”.</p><p><em> </em></p><p> </p><p>The ONS COVID-19 Infection Survey is one of the many data sources the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies include in their scientific advice to Government used to inform decisions on COVID-19 restrictions. Other data sources include the REACT STUDY, Test and Trace data and COVID-19 deaths and hospital admissions. Collectively this data highlighted the need to tighten restrictions in November 2020.</p><p> </p><p>The ONS COVID-19 Infection Survey is a pilot study developed at pace to help monitor the situation as it evolves and is therefore undergoing continual quality improvement.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately question first answered 11/03/2021 17:32:53 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately previous answer version 69153 answering member constituency Mid Bedfordshire answering member printed Ms Nadine Dorries answering member 1481 label Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker