Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that consumers who were unable to travel on package holidays due to the covid-19 outbreak receive (a) a full refund or (b) a Government-backed transferable voucher equal to the amount paid.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 protect consumers who have bought package holidays. Consumers are entitled to a refund?if forced to cancel a package holiday due to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, which should be issued?within 14 days, depending on the nature of the contract in place. Businesses in the sector are offering consumers vouchers or refund credit notes but acceptance must be the choice of the consumer who retains the right to a cash refund. Further information on the rights and responsibilities of consumers and businesses was published on 30 April by the Competition and Markets Authority who have also set up a covid-19 taskforce for consumers seeking refunds.
Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that solar energy is (a) accessible and (b) affordable to all households.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
Solar is a UK success story, having until now received 81% of the £5.9bn Feed in Tariff scheme, which has enabled 6.5 GW of new renewable generation across the country. In the future, our proposals for a Smart Export Guarantee will ensure that all small-scale generators are paid for the power they export to the grid. This coupled with the fact that residential solar panels are now over 50% cheaper than in 2011, makes solar more accessible and affordable than ever.
Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)
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 effect on the defence sector of the UK leaving the REACH chemical framework after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy recognises the importance of the continued availability of specialist chemicals from the EU to the Defence Sector after we have left the European Union. BEIS is working closely with the chemical industry to understand the impacts resulting from UK’s exit from the EU. We want to minimise the regulatory and market access barriers for UK businesses, including for those in the chemicals sector. We want to ensure that UK companies including our Defence Sector have the maximum freedom to trade with and operate within European markets – and to let European businesses do the same in the UK.
Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)
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 designate a public holiday to mark the occasion of the marriage of HRH Prince Henry and Ms Meghan Markle.
Answered by Margot James
The Government offers warmest congratulations to HRH Prince Harry and Miss Meghan Markle upon their engagement. As has previously been announced, there are no plans for a bank holiday for the wedding.
Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his Department's policies on shop workers' rights to opt out of Sunday working of the findings of a recent USDAW survey on the number of shop workers who (a) feel under pressure to work longer hours on a Sunday and (b) want to work fewer hours on a Sunday.
Answered by Anna Soubry
In formulating its final proposals, the Government has carefully considered all the evidence submitted during the consultation process.
A number of respondents expressed concern that extended opening hours could increase pressure on shop workers to work longer hours on Sundays. We therefore propose to enable shop workers to opt out of working additional hours on Sundays, to shorten the notice period for shop workers at large shops who wish to opt out of Sunday working altogether, and to strengthen and clarify the duty on employers to notify shop workers of their opt-out rights.