Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions his Department has had with representatives of OFCOM on ensuring that (a) Royal Mail Group plc and (b) Parcelforce Worldwide are adapting to recent changes implemented in line with the requirements of the Northern Ireland Protocol and new rules brought into operation after the end of the transition period.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Department has discussions with Ofcom on a regular basis on issues relevant to Royal Mail Group and its operations. The Government is continuing to support Royal Mail Group to adapt to the new trading arrangements with the European Union and the requirements of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment the Government has made of the effectiveness of parcel delivery services in implementing new rules in line with the requirements of the Northern Ireland Protocol and new rules brought into operation after the end of the transition period.
Answered by Paul Scully
Earlier this month, the Government took several temporary operational steps to avoid disruptive cliff edges which could have affected the delivery of parcel services. These included extending the temporary arrangements that the Government set out on parcels before the end of the transition period, giving further time to parcel operators to prepare for new requirements and minimise the impact on day-to-day lives in Northern Ireland.
We remain committed to meeting our obligations in the Northern Ireland Protocol and doing so in a pragmatic and proportionate way, taking full account of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.
The Government is continuing to support parcel operators and businesses across sectors to adapt to the new trading arrangements with the EU. It is also working closely with industry and counterparts in the EU to help goods move smoothly and resolve issues quickly.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
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 (a) raising the minimum wage to £10 an hour and (b) ending the lower rates of pay for people under (i) 25, (ii) 21 and (iii) 18 years of age.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government considers the expert and independent advice of the Low Pay Commission (LPC) when setting the rates for the National Living Wage (NLW) and National Minimum Wage (NMW). We reward workers with the highest possible minimum wage while considering the impact on the economy and affordability for businesses. In April, the National Living Wage rate will increase to £8.91, a 2.2% increase, and the highest ever UK minimum wage.
The Government’s target is for the NLW to reach two-thirds of median earnings by 2024. This is a floating number to take into account wider trends in average earnings. On current forecasts it is likely to be around £10 an hour.
For younger workers, the priority in those first years is to secure work and gain experience – something that has always been reflected in the National Minimum Wage rate structure. The LPC estimate that almost 230,000 young workers will benefit from the increases in the 2021 NMW rates.
The NLW currently applies to workers aged 25+, however, from April 2021 it will be extended to those aged 23+, following previous recommendations from the LPC. Government is committed to lowering the age threshold of the National Living Wage to age 21+ by 2024, and will continue to monitor economic conditions.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether future rulings on workers' rights by the Court of Justice of the European Union will be applied to Northern Ireland workers under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Answered by Paul Scully
The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement provisions concerning employment standards do not require new judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union to be implemented in Northern Ireland or any other nation of the U.K.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many of the covid-19 vaccines that are under development the Government has ordered in addition to the Pfizer vaccine; and what estimate his Department has made of how many of each type of those vaccines the devolved nations will receive.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK Government has secured early access to 355 million vaccines doses through agreements with seven separate vaccine developers, which have been purchased for the whole of the UK. This includes agreements with:
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much Government funding arising from his plans for a green industrial revolution is planned to be allocated to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
Our Ten Point Plan is our blueprint for a green industrial revolution. It combines ambitious policies with significant new public investment to deliver a vision for the UK that is greener, more prosperous and at the forefront of industries for the future. Spanning clean energy, buildings, transport, nature and innovative technologies, the Plan will mobilise £12 billion of Government investment and will support up to 250,000 green jobs across the UK.
Our investments in the transition will create good, green jobs in all four nations of the United Kingdom and catalyse private investment, helping to level up across the UK. Many of the initiatives and much of the funding announced will apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
For example, the Government’s commitment to support the introduction of at least 4,000 zero emission buses could be a significant boost to bus manufacturers in Northern Ireland, supporting green jobs across the UK.
The Government is also investing in other UK wide initiatives such as the Net Zero Innovation Programme, which will spend at least £1bn over the next 4 years to accelerate the commercialisation of innovative low-carbon technologies, systems and business models in power, buildings and industry. This programme will have a strong regional impact due to the localised and distributed nature of energy production and infrastructure, and will build on the existing regional investment made during the current programme.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the statement of 11 November 2020 from UK Research and Innovation entitled, Doctoral students advised to adjust projects for covid-19, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of allocating additional funding to UKRI to ensure people on low incomes or without financial support can access extensions to their funded period when required.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
UKRI have already acted this year to support PhD students during the pandemic. In March, UKRI worked to ensure that all the students it funds would continue to receive their maintenance stipend during the lockdown and would not have to suspend their studies; UKRI-funded students in receipt of a costed extension will continue to receive this stipend during their extension period.
In April it was announced that UKRI-funded PhD students in the final year and whose studies have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic would be provided with additional support. Subsequently on the 11th November, UKRI provided a further £19.1 million of funding to support students in earlier years, including disabled students, those with long-term illness, those who are neurodivergent, or those with caring responsibilities.
Combined, these two interventions have meant that UKRI has made over £60 million of financial support available to students most impacted by the pandemic. It is estimated that this funding is available for up to 12,000 students (over half of the students that UKRI funds).
We are encouraging all PhD students to discuss with their supervisors how projects can be adjusted to complete their doctoral education to a satisfactory standard. We will continue to monitor how the pandemic is affecting PhD students and the wider research system.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many vaccines under development from sources other than Pfizer and Moderna the Government has on order; and how many of those on order he plans to distribute to the devolved nations.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK government has secured early access to 355 million vaccines doses through agreements with seven separate vaccine developers, which have been purchased for the whole of the UK. This includes agreements with:
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what protections and safeguards are in place for people who have been shielding, have underlying health conditions or have caring responsibilities and will be returning to work as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
Answered by Paul Scully
Employers have a legal duty to make sure the workplace is safe for their employees and should consider whether a person is clinically vulnerable in their risk assessment. In the first instance, employers should support these employees to work from home. Where this is not possible, employers should provide the safest onsite roles available to enable them to follow social distancing measures. The Health and Safety Executive website has specific guidance on the steps businesses should take.
Where HSE identifies employers who are not taking action to comply with the relevant public health legislation and guidance to control public health risks, they will consider taking a range of actions to improve control of workplace risks. Workers can raise concerns through their employee representative, trade union or direct to HSE.
We expect employers to be supportive of people with caring responsibilities during this difficult period. We encourage employers to provide flexible working arrangements for their staff, where possible – allowing for home working and changes to start and finish times. This flexibility can help working parents and carers balance work and care needs.
Employers can still access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for clinically extremely vulnerable and those with caring responsibilities (for employees who have already been furloughed for a full three-week period prior to 30 June).
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, whether employers are required to calculate statutory redundancy pay based on an employee's pay (a) when furloughed or (b) before the furlough period began.
Answered by Paul Scully
Any redundancy process should be fair and reasonable, with appropriate equalities considerations.
The provisions relating to calculation of a week’s pay under the Employment Rights Act continue to apply when an individual is on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. This will usually mean that employees whose contract contains standard working hours, where pay does not vary by the amount of work done, would receive their normal statutory redundancy pay as at the date of termination of employment.
For employees whose pay varies weekly, Statutory Redundancy Pay is taken as an average over the 12-week period prior to the date of termination, discounting weeks where there was no pay because there was no work. In most cases the furlough period should be discounted for the purposes of calculating redundancy payments because the calculation of average pay under the Employment Rights Act 1996 is based on hours worked, rather than periods such as furlough, where no work is done.
During this difficult period, we urge employers to exercise discretion and not use the Job Retention Scheme to make someone redundant on less favourable terms than they would otherwise have received.