Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans the Government has to relocate civil servants to South Yorkshire.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government has committed to ensuring that the administration of Government is less Whitehall-centric with 22,000 civil service roles relocating to the regions and nations of the UK by the end of the decade. As you are aware, HMT and MHCLG both announced their relocation plans in the last few weeks. The Places for Growth programme is working with departments on their relocation plans to ensure a broad geography of the UK is benefiting from this agenda. Further announcements will be made in due course.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the announcement made in Budget 2021 on civil service relocation, what additional plans the Government has to relocate more civil servants outside of London; and when he plans to publish details of those proposed relocations.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government has committed to ensuring that the administration of Government is less Whitehall-centric with 22,000 civil service roles relocating to the regions and nations of the UK by the end of the decade. As you are aware, HMT and MHCLG both announced their relocation plans in the last few weeks. The Places for Growth programme is working with departments on their relocation plans to ensure a broad geography of the UK is benefiting from this agenda. Further announcements will be made in due course.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the announcement in the March 2020 Budget on the relocation of civil servants, what recent progress his Department has made on relocating civil servants; and if he will publish the criteria used to select potential sites for relocations.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by myself and the Minister without Portfolio to questions on 12 November.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of relocating civil service roles from London on regional inequality.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by myself and the Minister without Portfolio to questions on 12 November.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to review the policy of enabling foreign (a) governments and (b) companies to invest in critical national infrastructure.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The Government considers national security implications arising from foreign investment on a case-by-case basis.
On 22 June this Government laid secondary legislation to amend the Enterprise Act 2002, strengthening the Government’s powers to intervene in certain investments made into the UK.
The Government will also bring forward the National Security and Investment Bill when Parliamentary time allows. As announced in the Queen’s Speech, the Bill will upgrade the Government’s powers to scrutinise investments and consider the risks that can arise from hostile parties acquiring ownership of, or control over, businesses or other entities and assets that have national security implications.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that face coverings are (a) widely available to the public, (b) affordable and (c) effective in reducing the transmission of covid-19.
Answered by Chloe Smith
Further to the answer given to PQs 48885, 48886, 48887 on 14 May 2020, the Government has published guidance on staying safe outside the home during the COVID-19 pandemic:
The guidance includes information on the use of face coverings. We are asking people to make their own face coverings at home, using scarves or other textile items and we have published guidance to help illustrate the process.
In terms of the wider production of PPE for use for medical purposes, Lord Deighton has been appointed to lead the national effort to boost PPE production, and also support the scaling up of engineering efforts for small companies capable of contributing to supplies.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on allowing 180-day visa-free tourist travel for UK citizens in the Schengen area.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Arrangements for UK nationals crossing the Schengen Area border will remain as now for the duration of the transition period. Thereafter, the EU will grant UK nationals visa free access for short-term visits, subject to reciprocity. This means that UK business visitors and tourists will not need a visa when travelling to the Schengen area for short stays of up to 90 days in every 180-day period.
We are willing to discuss with the EU how to facilitate crossing of our respective borders for legitimate travel purposes.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans the Government has to extend the death in service benefit to families of all key workers during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
We recognise the extraordinary efforts of frontline workers, who are going above and beyond to ensure people get the support they need in these incredibly challenging times. The government will continue to review the support provided to public sector workers on the front line of responding to this crisis.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans his Department has to add security officers responsible for ensuring the safety of buildings and their contents to the list of key workers during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Our message to the British public is clear: stay at home, in order to protect the NHS and save lives. The position remains, as outlined on gov.uk, that everyone who can work from home should do so.
Where that is not possible, people should go into work where it is safe and they are not symptomatic, isolating or shielding. Relevant guidance including from Public Health England should be followed.
In terms of the provision of education for the children of certain key workers, it is already the case that security officers and private security workers working in, for example, hospitals and social care could be eligible as long as "their specific role is necessary for the continuation of this essential public service". This is set out here - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision
The Government has placed restrictions on the operations of certain businesses as part of the strategy to ensure people stay at home and away from others. Separate guidance has been published on this and is also available on gov.uk.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the potential increase in risk to national security of critical national infrastructure being owned by foreign governments and companies.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The Government undertakes regular reviews of our preparedness for the risks facing the UK through the National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA) and National Resilience Capabilities Programme (NRCP). This includes the risk from foreign investment into critical national infrastructure.
In addition, the Government considers any national security implications arising from foreign investment on a case-by-case basis, including in investments in Critical National Infrastructure. The Government’s approach is predicated on a risk assessment based on the specific circumstances of the case.
The Government’s current powers to intervene in mergers that may raise national security concerns are contained in the Enterprise Act (2002), which establishes key parts of the UK’s competition regime. The vast majority of transactions raise no national security concerns and the Government expects to quickly rule out national security risks in most cases, allowing parties to proceed with certainty.