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Written Question
Treasury: Chief Scientific Advisers
Friday 9th December 2022

Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings (a) they and (b) other Ministers in their Department have had with the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser from (i) 1 December 2021 to 28 February 2022, (ii) 1 March to 31 May 2022 and (iii) 1 June to 31 August 2022.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

HM Treasury is committed to ensuring that we access the very best scientific expertise. The Director General for the Enterprise and Growth Unit, who is responsible for public science funding, acts as HM Treasury’s Chief Scientific Adviser and meets with the Chancellor of the Exchequer regularly. The Chancellor of the Exchequer also meets with the Government Chief Scientific Adviser and the Chief Medical Officer when necessary.


Written Question
Treasury: Chief Scientific Advisers
Tuesday 15th February 2022

Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings he had with his Department's Chief Scientific Adviser from (a) 1 March to 31 May 2021, (b) 1 June to 31 August 2021 and (c) 1 September to 30 November 2021.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

HM Treasury is committed to ensuring that we access the very best scientific expertise. The Director for the Enterprise and Growth Unit, who is responsible for public science funding, acts as HM Treasury’s Chief Scientific Adviser and meets with the Chancellor of the Exchequer regularly. The Chancellor of the Exchequer also meets with the Government Chief Scientific Adviser and the Chief Medical Officer when necessary.


Written Question
Treasury: Chief Scientific Advisers
Wednesday 24th March 2021

Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings he had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser from (a) 1 March 2020 to 31 May 2020, (b) 1 June 2020 to 31 August 2020, (c) 1 September 2020 to 30 November 2020 and (d) 1 December 2020 to 28 February 2021.

Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade

HM Treasury is committed to ensuring that we access the very best scientific expertise. The Director for the Enterprise and Growth Unit, who is responsible for public science funding, acts as HM Treasury’s Chief Scientific Adviser and meets with the Chancellor of the Exchequer regularly.


Written Question
Tourism: Coronavirus
Monday 8th February 2021

Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of Inbound Tourism Resilience Fund proposal set out in UKinbound’s letter of 14 January 2021.

Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade

The Government recognises the significant disruption the necessary actions to combat Covid-19 are having on sectors such as tourism.

During this difficult time the Treasury has worked intensively with employers, delivery partners, industry groups, and other government departments to understand the long-term impact of Covid-19 on all key areas of the economy and continues to do so.

We welcome views from external stakeholders such as UKinbound and encourage their continued engagement with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport as the government lead for tourism.

We will continue to monitor the impact of government support on public services, businesses, individuals and sectors, including the tourism sector, throughout this pandemic. The upcoming Budget will be an opportunity to take stock of our wider support and set out the next stage of our economic response; however it must be recognised that it will not be possible to preserve every job or business indefinitely, nor stand in the way of the economy adapting and people finding new jobs or starting new businesses.


Written Question
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Seasonal Workers
Monday 7th December 2020

Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he has taken to ensure that seasonal workers are not disadvantaged under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

Answered by Jesse Norman

The Government has ensured that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) is available for as many people as possible. Hence, employees can be on any type of contract and be eligible to be furloughed under the CJRS.

The CJRS has been available to all employers with a PAYE system and all employees on PAYE regardless of their employment contract, enabling millions of people to remain employed.

Further information on eligibility for the CJRS can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-which-employees-you-can-put-on-furlough-to-use-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme.


Written Question
Non-domestic Rates: Empty Property
Monday 7th September 2020

Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to further support landlords of commercial properties by extending the Business Rates Expanded Retail Discount to owners of vacant retail premises.

Answered by Jesse Norman

Properties which were closed temporarily due to the Government’s advice on COVID-19 should be treated as occupied for the purposes of the business rates holiday for retail, hospitality and leisure properties.

The Government maintains an Empty Property Relief (EPR) to support property owners between the reoccupation of vacated premises.?? Under EPR, owners of retail properties do not normally have to pay business rates on newly vacated buildings for three months.


Written Question
Travel and Tourism: Coronavirus
Thursday 3rd September 2020

Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to provide the travel industry with sector specific support to assist in its recovery from the covid-19 pandemic.

Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade

The Government recognises the challenging times facing the travel industry as a result of COVID-19 and firms experiencing difficulties as a result of COVID-19 can draw upon the unprecedented package of measures announced by the Chancellor, including schemes to raise capital, flexibilities with tax bills, and financial support for employees.

In addition, and as part of its normal operations, the government has always considered providing support to strategically important companies that can reasonably be expected to have a long-term viable future, and whose failure or distress could cause disproportionate harm to the UK economy or society. Companies must have exhausted all other options before being considered, and any support given will be on terms that protect the taxpayer, with existing lenders and shareholders expected to contribute to and share in the financial burden. Any companies receiving support will need to agree to appropriate conditions – including those relating to tax, supplier payment terms, climate change and corporate governance.


Written Question
Prime Minister: Chief Scientific Advisers
Wednesday 27th May 2020

Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Prime Minister, how many meetings he had with the Government's Chief Scientific Adviser (a) from 1 September to 30 November 2019 and (b) from 1 December 2019 to 29 February 2020.

Answered by Boris Johnson

I have regular meetings with ministerial colleagues, officials and others including the Government Chief Scientific Adviser.


Written Question
Treasury: Chief Scientific Advisers
Friday 22nd May 2020

Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings (a) he and (b) his predecessor had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser (i) from 1 September to 30 November 2019 and (ii) from 1 December 2019 to 29 February 2020.

Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade

HM Treasury is committed to ensuring that we access the very best scientific expertise. The Director for the Enterprise and Growth Unit, who is responsible for public science funding, acts as HM Treasury’s Chief Scientific Adviser and meets with the Chancellor of the Exchequer regularly.


Written Question
Cemeteries: Non-domestic Rates
Tuesday 17th March 2020

Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many cemeteries are exempt from paying business rates in England.

Answered by Jesse Norman

The Government does not hold this information.

Properties which are exempt from business rates, including some cemeteries, are not assessed by the Valuation Office Agency.