Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the support required by the hospitality sector in Newport West constituency following the rise in the number of positive omicron covid-19 cases.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
My ministerial colleagues and I have regular discussions with the Welsh Government on a range of topics, including the rise in the number of positive Omicron and Covid-19 cases. The UK Government is closely monitoring the impact of the virus on the economy.
I am pleased that the Welsh Government has followed the UK Government’s lead in offering business rate relief to support the hospitality sector, as announced by the Chancellor at the Budget in October. We have supported Welsh businesses and people throughout the pandemic, this includes the provision of £1.1 billion through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, £2.4 billion in business support loans and 474,000 employees supported through the furlough scheme.
The Welsh Government has also benefitted from an extra £3.8 billion of Barnett-based funding during this financial year – taking total block grant funding for the Welsh Government in 2021-22 to £19.3 billion that can be used to support Welsh Businesses. We have further confirmed £270 million the Welsh Government can spend in advance of budgets being finalised at Supplementary Estimates, to support the vaccine roll out and ongoing Covid-19 response in Wales.
Furthermore, the UK Government has reintroduced the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme to help small and medium-sized employers cover the cost of Covid-related sick absences, covering up to two weeks per employee. This is in addition to a reduced VAT rate until the end of March 2022 for tourism and hospitality businesses, helping to support around 150,000 businesses, as well as continued access to the Recovery Loan Scheme until June 2022.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether he has made an assessment of the support required by businesses in Newport West constituency following the rise in the number of positive omicron covid-19 cases.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
The UK Government is committed to supporting Welsh businesses and continues to assess what support is needed as a result of Covid-19. This includes the provision of £1.1 billion through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, £2.4 billion in business support loans, and 474,000 employees supported through the furlough scheme.
The Welsh Government has also benefitted from an extra £3.8 billion of Barnett-based funding during this financial year – taking total block grant funding for the Welsh Government in 2021-22 to £19.3 billion that can be used to support Welsh Businesses. A further £270 million has been confirmed, which the Welsh Government can spend in advance of budgets being finalised at Supplementary Estimates, to support the vaccine roll out and ongoing Covid-19 response in Wales.
Furthermore, the UK Government has reintroduced the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme to help small and medium-sized employers cover the cost of Covid-related sick absences, covering up to two weeks per employee.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make an assessment of the effect of the Human Rights Act 1998 on people in (a) Newport West and (b) Wales.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
The Government fully supports the fundamental rights as set out in the European Convention for Human Rights. The framework for the application of human rights in Wales and across the UK – through the Human Rights Act 1998 – has however proved flawed. We are therefore consulting on proposals for a Bill of Rights that will protect people’s fundamental rights whilst safeguarding the broader public interest and respecting the will of elected representatives in Parliament. We are seeking views from across the UK, including on how our reforms can best reflect the different interests, histories and legal traditions of all parts of the UK.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made of the health of birds in Wales following the discovery of bird flu in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
This is a devolved matter, however, the UK Government works with the devolved administrations to seek a coordinated response wherever possible to control disease. In November, the Chief Veterinary Officers for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland worked together to bring in an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) across Great Britain on 3 November 2021, and in Northern Ireland on 17 November 2021, with additional housing measures coming into force across the UK on 29 November 2021. These measures were introduced to protect poultry and captive birds from avian influenza following a number of confirmed cases across Great Britain and means it a legal requirement for all bird keepers across the UK (whether they have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock) to keep their birds indoors and follow strict biosecurity measures to limit the spread of avian influenza.
All four administrations are an integral part of the UK-wide decision-making processes. All attend the Defra Group’s National Disease Control Centre meetings, are members of the Animal Disease Policy Group (ADPG) and participate in daily stocktakes to review on-going disease control strategy. Decisions on disease control measures, made through these groups, are based on risk assessments containing the latest scientific and ornithological evidence and veterinary advice.
The risk of incursion of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 in wild birds is currently assessed as very high for England and high for Wales and Scotland for wild birds. The risk of poultry exposure to HPAI H5 across Great Britain is currently assessed as medium where good biosecurity is applied at poultry premises, but high where there are substantial biosecurity breaches and poor biosecurity. If, however, stringent biosecurity is in place at poultry premises the risk would be low for these premises.
All bird keepers are encouraged to maintain high standards of biosecurity as good practice for the health of their birds, and that good biosecurity is an essential defence against diseases such as avian influenza and is key to limiting the spread of avian influenza in any potential outbreak.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent assessment he has made of the sustainability of trade between Wales and (a) Ireland and (b) Northern Ireland.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
There has been a notable recovery in Great Britain (GB) trade with Ireland throughout 2021, with the latest September statistics showing a 118% increase for GB exports and a 48% increase for imports compared to January 2021.
Ministers meet regularly to monitor and assess the critical trade routes between Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland and the rest of the UK, to ensure effective implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement and support the implementation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
We will continue to help businesses get the support they need to trade effectively with Europe, including running export helplines such as the Export Support Service and webinars with experts, providing financial support to SMEs, and delaying the introduction of full import controls.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the Windrush Compensation Scheme.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
UK Government is in regular engagement with the Welsh Government on a wide range of subjects, including the Windrush Compensation Scheme.
Home Office officials wrote to the Devolved Administrations, including the Welsh Government, to inform them of significant changes we made to the Windrush Compensation Scheme in December. Home Office officials have also engaged with the Welsh Government to encourage the promotion of engagement events the UK Government has held in Swansea, Newport and Cardiff.
The Government also raised awareness of the Windrush Schemes through the national advertising campaign, launched in August 2020, which included radio stations, digital channels and local press in Wales. Campaign materials were also made available in Welsh.
In addition, the Windrush Community Fund, which is a £500k fund to promote awareness of Windrush Schemes to affected communities, was promoted across the UK, including in Wales. The UK Government awarded over £24,000 in funding to Butetown Community Association who are a longstanding organisation in Cardiff, to deliver a series of projects to reach their local communities.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when he last met with representatives of NFU Cymru.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
I regularly meet with various representatives from across the farming sector in Wales.
I will be meeting with the President of NFU England and Wales this week and will also be holding an engagement session with all farming unions and interests in the New Year. Furthermore, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State has met with representatives and spoken to NFU Cymru many times in recent months and is meeting them again today (30 November) along with other farming unions.
Moreover, the NFU are part of the UK Governments Strategic Trade Advisory Group and Trade Advisory Group, where stakeholders represent a cross-section of interests from all parts of the UK on trade policy matters, including on agriculture.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when he last met representatives of RSPCA Cymru.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
I have regular discussions with representatives from various stakeholders in relation to animal welfare.
Whilst animal welfare policy is a devolved matter in Wales, as well as in Scotland and Northern Ireland, both the Office for Secretary of State for Wales and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs engages with stakeholders across the UK to promote our animal welfare policy objectives or to seek views where appropriate to do so.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on steps to tackle drink spiking in Wales.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
I have regular discussions with my Cabinet colleagues on a wide range of subjects, including the steps required to tackle drink spiking across the UK.
Reports of spiking, whether that is adding substances to drinks or injecting people with needles, are extremely concerning, and this is an issue that the Government takes very seriously. We have every sympathy with victims and anyone who might feel unable to enjoy a night out without fear.
The Home Secretary has already asked the National Police Chiefs’ Council to urgently review the extent and scale of the issue, and we are receiving regular updates from the police who are working locally, regionally and nationally, including with our partners in the National Crime Agency.
The abhorrent crimes of spiking also speak to broader issues of violence against women and girls. We published our new cross-Government tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) strategy this summer to help to ensure that women and girls are safe everywhere. We are delivering a pilot £5 million safety of women at night fund, focused on preventing violence against women and girls in public spaces at night, particularly in the night-time economy. This is in addition to the £25 million safer streets fund, which focuses on improving public safety, with an emphasis on the safety of women and girls and their feelings of safety in public spaces.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made of the impact on Welsh commuters of the Government's decision not to proceed with the HS2 rail extension to Leeds.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
By improving regional connectivity, the Integrated Rail Plan will unify labour markets, so that people can access a much wider range of jobs; bring businesses closer together; and improve access to key international gateways and markets so they become even more attractive locations for business investment.
Crewe Northern Connection would improve connections from North Wales to the HS2 network, potentially bringing many passengers within 2 hours 15 minutes of London. Work to progress options on completing the Midlands Rail Hub could give passengers from South Wales easy access to the HS2 network at Birmingham Curzon Street.