Asked by: Anne Marie Morris (Conservative - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the prevalence of employers dismissing customer-facing staff who refuse to have a covid-19 vaccination.
Answered by Paul Scully
The UK operates a system of informed consent for vaccinations and uptake of the COVID-19 vaccination has been very high across the UK.
Employers, including those in customer-facing sectors, who propose to introduce a requirement for staff to be vaccinated will need to consider the existing legal framework, including the law on employment, dismissal, equalities and data protection. Employers will need to ensure that they have acted in accordance with their legal obligations when making decisions on requiring evidence of a COVID-19 vaccination, taking account of their particular context and circumstances.
Asked by: Anne Marie Morris (Conservative - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2021 to Question 2300 on Hospitality Industry: Recruitment, what steps his Department has taken as a result of those discussions to help hospitality and tourism businesses with recruitment.
Answered by Paul Scully
I would refer my Hon. Friend to my previous answer that the Department has met and continues to meet regularly with representatives from across the Hospitality sector to discuss how it can recover and build back from the pandemic. Information from these discussions has been shared with the Department for Work and Pensions, who are actively supporting jobseekers to find roles in sectors of need. Last month, the Government also published a comprehensive Tourism Recovery Plan setting out how it will help the Tourism sector build back better from COVID-19.
Asked by: Anne Marie Morris (Conservative - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans does his Department has to support the growth of solar energy in the UK.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Solar PV has been a UK success story, with rapid deployment over the last 10 years. Over 99% of the UK’s solar PV capacity has been deployed since May 2010, and over a million homes have installed solar on their roofs.
Solar is a key part of the Government’s strategy for low-cost decarbonisation of the energy sector. Achieving our ambitious 2050 Net Zero target will require significant increases in renewable electricity generation, and we will need to increase deployment across a range of technologies, including solar PV. Our recent Energy White Paper stated that we will need sustained growth in the capacity of solar over the next decade alongside onshore and offshore wind.
That is why the Government announced on 2 March 2020 that large scale solar PV projects will be able to compete in the next Contracts for Difference (CfD) allocation round. The round is planned to open in December 2021 and will aim to deliver up to double the renewable capacity of the last round, potentially providing enough clean energy for up to 10 million homes.
We also support small scale solar projects through the Smart Export Guarantee scheme, which requires electricity suppliers to offer a tariff to buy electricity exported to the grid by small low-carbon generators – typically households that have installed solar panels.
Solar is also an important part of the Government’s strategy for energy efficient buildings and reducing fuel poverty. The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, the Social Housing Demonstrator Fund and the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery Scheme all include solar panels as an eligible measure.
In April next year we aim to launch the Green Heat Network Fund, which is intended to run for three years and will focus on helping new and existing heat networks to adopt low and zero carbon technologies. We recently consulted on proposals for the scheme design and our consultation document looked at the ways in which a number of low-carbon technologies, including solar thermal, might be treated. The consultation document can be found on gov.uk (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/green-heat-network-fund-proposals-for-the-scheme-design ). The consultation period ended on 29 January and we aim to publish the Government’s response later in the summer.
Taken together this support reflects our commitment to reach our net zero ambition, through a sustainable, diverse, energy system.
Asked by: Anne Marie Morris (Conservative - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to incentivise people to return to or apply for hospitality jobs as businesses begin to reopen as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Department has and continues to regularly meet with representatives from across the sector to discuss how it can recover and build back from the pandemic.
Asked by: Anne Marie Morris (Conservative - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress has been made on the construction of the global satellite constellation to provide enhanced broadband.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
OneWeb has launched 36 satellites since June 2020, bringing the total number of satellites launched to 110. Further launches are planned throughout 2021 and the company aims to introduce commercial service at the end of the year.
Asked by: Anne Marie Morris (Conservative - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to help businesses to support their employees with the mental health effects of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government recognises the significant impact that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had on both employers and employees, and their mental wellbeing. in order to highlight available support around mental health, the Government is signposting to resources for businesses and employers, including Mind’s website and the Mental Health at Work toolkit, through GOV.UK here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-support-for-business-from-outside-government. We also continue to work with the Thriving at Work Leadership Council to encourage employers to sign up to the Mental Health at Work (MHAW) commitments and to engage leading Mental Health charities and organisations to better understand issues around SME mental health, financial insecurity for small business owners and the self-employed, and continue to explore what further support may be offered.
We also know how worried people are and we are taking many steps to protect both jobs and the long-term financial future of businesses during the current economic emergency. Throughout this crisis, our priority has been clear: to protect lives and livelihoods. We have introduced an unprecedented and comprehensive package of business support measures to help as many individuals and businesses as possible, which has mitigated some of the worst immediate impacts of COVID-19 on risk factors for poor mental health. This includes measures such as the small business grants, the Coronavirus loan guarantee schemes, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), the deferral of VAT and income tax payments, and more. Businesses can also access tailored advice through our Freephone Business Support Helpline, online via the Business Support website or through their local Growth Hubs in England.
Further measures were also announced by my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer that build on the significant support already available as well as set out how current support will evolve and adapt. This includes the extension of the CJRS until the end of April 2021, the extension of the Coronavirus loan guarantee schemes until 31 March 2021, and the introduction of Pay As You Grow measures, meaning businesses now have the option to repay their Bounce Back Loans over a period of up to ten years. Businesses who also deferred VAT due from 20 March to 30 June 2020 will now have the option to opt-in to a scheme to allow them to pay in smaller instalments up to the end of March 2022, interest free. Business and individuals can use our checker tool on GOV.UK at www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support to quickly and easily determine whether they are eligible for any further financial support at this time.
Asked by: Anne Marie Morris (Conservative - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reasons specialist confectionary shops that sell (a) fudge, (b) sweets or (c) chocolate are classified as essential retailers during the covid-19 lockdown.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government has ordered certain businesses and venues to close and has set out guidance on which organisations this requirement covers and what the exceptions are.
All food retailers, including food markets, supermarkets, convenience stores and corner shops are permitted to remain open.
Asked by: Anne Marie Morris (Conservative - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has been made of the potential merits of making the use of hand sanitiser mandatory in shops.
Answered by Paul Scully
We have published comprehensive guidance to allow businesses to be able to work safely. The offering of hand sanitiser is part of a range of measures that businesses can take to protect staff and customers.
The Government welcomes efforts by retailers to reduce the spread of Covid-19 through the implementation of this advice.
We have also launched a campaign urging people to act like they have got the virus, reinforcing the message that if it’s essential to go out, you should wash your hands, cover your face indoors and keep your distance from others. We are also encouraging people to shop alone and infrequently to reduce the number of people in stores.
Asked by: Anne Marie Morris (Conservative - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of making it mandatory for shops to offer hand sanitiser to customers.
Answered by Paul Scully
We have published comprehensive guidance to allow businesses to be able to work safely. The offering of hand sanitiser is part of a range of measures that businesses can take to protect staff and customers.
The Government welcomes efforts by retailers to reduce the spread of Covid-19 through the implementation of this advice.
We have also launched a campaign urging people to act like they have got the virus, reinforcing the message that if it’s essential to go out, you should wash your hands, cover your face indoors and keep your distance from others. We are also encouraging people to shop alone and infrequently to reduce the number of people in stores.
Asked by: Anne Marie Morris (Conservative - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with representatives from the banking sector on extending the business loan repayment holiday for the duration of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Paul Scully
We recognise that some borrowers will benefit from flexibility for their repayments of Government-guaranteed loans. That is why, on 24 September, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the Pay As You Grow measures following discussion with lenders.
Pay As You Grow will give all Bounce Back Loan borrowers the option to repay their loan over a period of up to ten years. 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).
These changes will provide greater flexibility to repay these loans over a longer period and in a way that better suits businesses’ individual circumstances.
We have also given Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme lenders the ability to extend the length of borrowers’ loans from a maximum of six years to ten years if it will help the borrower to repay the loan.