Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 22 November 2121 to Question 75043 on Travel: Civil Servants and Ministers, if he will publish a breakdown of the Government spending on (a) domestic flights and (b) trains for business trips undertaken by (i) Ministers and (ii) civil servants in each of the last five years.
Answered by Michael Ellis
I refer the hon. Member to PQ 75043.
Details of business expenses for senior officials are published quarterly on GOV.UK. The Government does not plan to publish a breakdown of Ministers' domestic travel costs for previous years in routine transparency data.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of domestic flights taken by (a) Ministers and (b) civil services for the purposes of conducting official Government business in each of the last 12 months; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of alternative ways of conducting that business that do require using domestic flights.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Details of Ministers' travel are published quarterly on GOV.UK.
The Cabinet Office is committed to minimising travel costs and reducing the environmental impact of journeys. Ministers and Civil Servants are advised to travel by the most efficient means of transport and to use public transport where possible.
Ministers and Civil Servants are also encouraged to consider alternative ways of conducting business to minimise travel. For example, using video and telephone conferencing facilities where possible and appropriate.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to Answer of 29 October 2021 to Question 63799 on Imports, if he will publish his Department's analysis that led to the conclusion that delays at UK ports for inbound goods are caused by other issues connected to the current situation with global supply chains.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The basis for this conclusion - that delays are not caused by import controls following Brexit - is that these import controls are not yet in force.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to reduce the additional bureaucracy placed on British businesses (a) importing from and (b) exporting to the EU since the end of the transition period.
Answered by Michael Ellis
There are currently no delays at UK ports as a consequence of the time taken to carry out UK customs and other checks. To the extent that there are delays at some UK ports for inbound goods, these are caused by other issues connected to the current situation with global supply chains. UK border import controls on goods from the EU are being introduced in a phased way and in accordance with the timetable announced by my noble Friend, Rt Hon Lord Frost, on 14 September.
The Government has taken a number of measures to assist UK businesses in exporting to the EU since the end of the Transition Period. This includes online guidance and targeted financial support. On 1 October, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Trade, launched the Export Support Service specifically to help businesses trade with the EU.
In addition, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced on 27 October that the Government will make £180 million available to fund the development of the UK Single Trade Window. The Single Trade Window will offer a single gateway into Government for traders to complete their import, export and transit requirements. This will benefit business by dramatically reducing the administrative costs of trade. It forms part of the 2025 Border Strategy, announced in December 2020, to build the most effective border in the world.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the impact of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Common Market on the availability of imported goods; and what discussions he is having with his European counterparts to ease the import of those goods.
Answered by Michael Ellis
There are currently no delays at UK ports as a consequence of the time taken to carry out UK customs and other checks. To the extent that there are delays at some UK ports for inbound goods, these are caused by other issues connected to the current situation with global supply chains. UK border import controls on goods from the EU are being introduced in a phased way and in accordance with the timetable announced by my noble Friend, Rt Hon Lord Frost, on 14 September.
The Government has taken a number of measures to assist UK businesses in exporting to the EU since the end of the Transition Period. This includes online guidance and targeted financial support. On 1 October, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Trade, launched the Export Support Service specifically to help businesses trade with the EU.
In addition, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced on 27 October that the Government will make £180 million available to fund the development of the UK Single Trade Window. The Single Trade Window will offer a single gateway into Government for traders to complete their import, export and transit requirements. This will benefit business by dramatically reducing the administrative costs of trade. It forms part of the 2025 Border Strategy, announced in December 2020, to build the most effective border in the world.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the impact of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Common Market on delays at UK ports; and what discussions he is having with his European counterparts on tackling those delays.
Answered by Michael Ellis
There are currently no delays at UK ports as a consequence of the time taken to carry out UK customs and other checks. To the extent that there are delays at some UK ports for inbound goods, these are caused by other issues connected to the current situation with global supply chains. UK border import controls on goods from the EU are being introduced in a phased way and in accordance with the timetable announced by my noble Friend, Rt Hon Lord Frost, on 14 September.
The Government has taken a number of measures to assist UK businesses in exporting to the EU since the end of the Transition Period. This includes online guidance and targeted financial support. On 1 October, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Trade, launched the Export Support Service specifically to help businesses trade with the EU.
In addition, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced on 27 October that the Government will make £180 million available to fund the development of the UK Single Trade Window. The Single Trade Window will offer a single gateway into Government for traders to complete their import, export and transit requirements. This will benefit business by dramatically reducing the administrative costs of trade. It forms part of the 2025 Border Strategy, announced in December 2020, to build the most effective border in the world.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the (a) level of public awareness of postal voting and (b) the accessibility of the postal voting application process; and what steps he is taking to widen access to postal voting ahead of the May 2021 elections.
Answered by Chloe Smith
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 147911 on 9 February 2021.
The Government is working on finalising the funding allocations for the May 2021 elections, and Returning Officers and local authorities will be updated on their funding allocations for the Police and Crime Commissioner and local elections respectively by the end of March.
There will be an estimated £92 million of government funding that will be provided to local authorities for the elections; of this, £31 million is an uplift to directly address costs associated with making the elections covid-secure.
For the Police and Crime Commissioner elections, Returning Officers will be reimbursed for expenses necessarily incurred for the smooth running of those polls via the usual process. Further detail of the potential fees and charges that Returning Officers can claim for in relation to any additional measures required to ensure covid-secure Police and Crime Commissioner elections in May is set out in guidance provided by the Cabinet Office to Returning Officers.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to he Answer of 9 February 2021 to Question 147940, how much funding will be allocated to each local authority under his Department’s delivery plan for the May 2021 elections.
Answered by Chloe Smith
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 147911 on 9 February 2021.
The Government is working on finalising the funding allocations for the May 2021 elections, and Returning Officers and local authorities will be updated on their funding allocations for the Police and Crime Commissioner and local elections respectively by the end of March.
There will be an estimated £92 million of government funding that will be provided to local authorities for the elections; of this, £31 million is an uplift to directly address costs associated with making the elections covid-secure.
For the Police and Crime Commissioner elections, Returning Officers will be reimbursed for expenses necessarily incurred for the smooth running of those polls via the usual process. Further detail of the potential fees and charges that Returning Officers can claim for in relation to any additional measures required to ensure covid-secure Police and Crime Commissioner elections in May is set out in guidance provided by the Cabinet Office to Returning Officers.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effect of the end of the transition period on (a) charges and (b) costs for businesses that (i) import and (ii) export to the EU; and what steps his Department is taking to support those businesses.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
I refer the Honourable Member to the answers given at Cabinet Office oral questions on 11 February.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with his Department on increased (a) charges and (b) costs for businesses that (a) import from and (b) export to the EU following the end of the transition period.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.