Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether staff employed on zero hour contracts, who receive their holiday pay as an average of their earnings, are entitled to receive their full holiday pay entitlement through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme; and whether there are requirements under that scheme for employers to provide employees with written confirmation of holiday (a) entitlement and (b) payment whilst being furloughed.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Individuals, including those on zero-hour contracts, can take paid holiday, and continue to accrue holiday entitlement, while on furlough.
If a furloughed worker takes holiday, the employer should pay them their full holiday pay, calculated in accordance with BEIS guidance. Employers will be obliged to fund any additional amounts over the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) grant.
BEIS has published guidance covering how holiday entitlement and pay operate during the coronavirus pandemic, where it differs from the standard holiday entitlement and pay guidance: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/holiday-entitlement-and-pay-during-coronavirus-covid-19.
There is no requirement specific to the CJRS scheme in which the employer will need to provide written confirmation to workers of holiday entitlement and holiday payment while on furlough.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions has he had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the rejection of wholesalers from Local Authority Discretionary Funds.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - Leader of HM Official Opposition
Local authorities in England have received an additional £500 million of discretionary funding under the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) scheme to support their local businesses. This builds on the £1.1 billion of discretionary funding which they have already received to support their local economies and help businesses impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
It is up to each local authority to determine eligibility for this scheme based on their assessment of local economic need. However, we encourage local authorities to support businesses which have been impacted by COVID-19 restrictions, but which are ineligible for the other grant schemes, this can include suppliers to the retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors.
Businesses which do not receive grant funding should be able to benefit from other aspects of the Government’s unprecedented package of economic support including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, and Government-backed loans.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will protect people purchasing houses from lost sales due to mortgages and other loans not being fulfilled due to the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by John Glen
The Government is committed to supporting homeowners and home buyers during COVID-19. This included making mortgage holidays available to all mortgage holders for up to 6 months support for consumers struggling with mortgage payments; consumers have until 31 March 2021 to apply and all holidays must be completed by 31 July. We also brought in a temporary Stamp Duty Land Tax cut in order to encourage and maintain confidence in the property market.
The Government does not seek to intervene in individual home purchases, but, we have worked with industry on a range of measures to make the process of buying and selling homes quicker, cheaper and less stressful. For example, we published "how to " guides to lead consumers through the process, ensured estate agent referral fees are transparent, set an 10 day turnaround for searches and started work to test reservation agreements which will increase commitment between buyers and sellers.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the Government will require businesses to actively offer furlough to clinically extremely vulnerable employees.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
An employer can claim for any employees who were employed and on their PAYE payroll on 30 October 2020. The employer must have made a PAYE Real Time Information (RTI) submission to HMRC between 20 March 2020 and 30 October 2020, notifying a payment of earnings for that employee.
This includes education supply staff who are unable to work and clinically extremely vulnerable people, where they meet these eligibility criteria.
The furloughing of staff through the CJRS is a voluntary arrangement entered at the employers’ discretion and agreed by employees. The decision whether an individual firm should put its staff on furlough, or take them off it is one for the employer, in consultation with the employee.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the ineligibility of wholesalers for business rates relief on the viability of care home supply chains throughout the North of England.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
No such assessment has been made, but the Government recognises this is a difficult time for businesses. This is why it has spent over £280 billion on economic support, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, business grants and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, which wholesalers may be able to benefit from. If businesses are in a difficult position?with regard to?business rates bills, they are encouraged to contact their local authority to discuss what support may be available. The Government is conducting a fundamental review of business rates and will outline plans for future business rates reliefs in the New Year.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assumptions he has made about available spending for social care in his spending forecast for 2021-22.
Answered by Steve Barclay
The Spending Review provided councils with access to over £1bn of new spending power to fund social care in 21/22. This includes £300m of new grant funding for social care and is on top of maintaining £3.5bn of existing social care grants.
In addition, we expect to provide councils with over £3bn to help manage the impact of COVID-19 across their services, including in social care.
This will support local authorities to maintain care services while keeping up with rising demand and recovering from the impact of COVID-19.