Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to protect the employment of seafarers in the shipping industry after the implementation of changes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme on 1 July 2020.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
As of 7th June 8.9 million workers have been furloughed through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), with a total of £19.6bn claimed. From 1 July, employers can bring back to work employees that have been furloughed for any amount of time and any shift pattern, while still being able to claim for the hours not worked. Employers will need to agree any flexible furlough arrangements with employees.
From August 2020, the level of the grant will be slowly tapered to reflect that people will be returning to work. To enable the introduction of flexible furloughing, and support those already furloughed back to work, claims from July onwards will be restricted to employers currently using the scheme and previously furloughed employees. Further information about the scheme can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wages-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme.
Shipping companies may also benefit from a range of other schemes. The Business Support website provides further information about the support that has been made available, who is eligible and how to apply - https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he has taken to encourage shipping companies to continue furloughing seafarers since his announcement of changes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme on 12 May 2020.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
As of 7th June 8.9 million workers have been furloughed through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), with a total of £19.6bn claimed. From 1 July, employers can bring back to work employees that have been furloughed for any amount of time and any shift pattern, while still being able to claim for the hours not worked. Employers will need to agree any flexible furlough arrangements with employees.
From August 2020, the level of the grant will be slowly tapered to reflect that people will be returning to work. To enable the introduction of flexible furloughing, and support those already furloughed back to work, claims from July onwards will be restricted to employers currently using the scheme and previously furloughed employees. Further information about the scheme can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wages-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme.
Shipping companies may also benefit from a range of other schemes. The Business Support website provides further information about the support that has been made available, who is eligible and how to apply - https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2020 to Question 46626 on Ferries: Coronavirus, whether the support awarded by the Department for Transport to freight operators is backdated to 24 April 2020; and if he will list those operators in receipt of public support under those contracts.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
Support is being provided to maintain capacity on 16 critical freight routes (listed below) to help ensure critical goods can move freely. These routes are run by the following 6 operators: Brittany Ferries; DFDS; Eurotunnel; P&O; Seatruck; and Stena. Contracts with these operators are in place for 9 weeks from 11 May and are not backdated.
Route:
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2020 to Question 46622, how much P&O Ferries has received from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to date.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Applications for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) opened on Monday 20 April. By midnight 31 May 2020, 1.1m employers had submitted claims to HMRC representing 8.7m furloughed employments and £17.5bn. HMRC do not comment on identifiable taxpayers.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial support has been provided by the public purse to employers operating roll-on roll-off passenger ferries from UK ports to mitigate the financial effect of the reduction in (a) passenger and (b) car traffic due the covid-19 outbreak to date.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Government has already announced a range of measures to support all businesses, including roll-on roll-off ferry operators. In addition, on 24 April Government committed to keeping freight flowing on routes into and across the UK. Following engagement with operators, DfT has awarded contracts for 16 routes with 6 operators, worth an estimated £34m over 2 months. DfT will publish regular updates on this package.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether foreign shipping companies operating from UK ports are eligible for Government assistance in paying 80 per cent of seafarers’ wages under the terms of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Any entity with a UK payroll can apply to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme as long as they have: (1) created and started a PAYE payroll scheme on or before 19 March 2020, (2) enrolled for PAYE online and (3) a UK bank account. This applies to any organisation including those listed in these questions. Further guidance can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether offshore-registered crewing agencies supplying seafarers to the UK shipping industry are eligible for Government assistance in paying 80 per cent of seafarers’ wages under the terms of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Any entity with a UK payroll can apply to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme as long as they have: (1) created and started a PAYE payroll scheme on or before 19 March 2020, (2) enrolled for PAYE online and (3) a UK bank account. This applies to any organisation including those listed in these questions. Further guidance can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will issue guidance to (a) seafarers, (b) shipping companies and (c) international shipping registers working or operating in the UK shipping industry on access to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Any entity with a UK payroll can apply to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme as long as they have: (1) created and started a PAYE payroll scheme on or before 19 March 2020, (2) enrolled for PAYE online and (3) a UK bank account. This applies to any organisation including those listed in these questions. Further guidance can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the time it will take to process road freight traffic entering the country at the Port of Dover in the event of the UK leaving the EU on 31 October without a deal.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government recognises the importance of trade flow through the UK’s key ports to the country’s economy, and is committed to ensuring that trade is as frictionless as possible through the Port of Dover. In the eventuality of a no deal scenario, the Government’s Day 1 model for Roll on Roll off ports, such as Dover, aims to move customs formalities away from the border, easing pressure at the ports and helping to avoid delays.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HMRC National Minimum Wage Enforcement’s targeted enforcement work in Lowestoft on 17 June 2019 will cover shipping companies working in the offshore wind supply chain from Port of Lowestoft.
Answered by Jesse Norman
HMRC does not comment on operational activity.
The Government is determined that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) receives it.
HMRC regularly undertakes targeted NMW enforcement based on the identification of the risk of non-compliance. This compliance work is informed using a combination of HMRC’s risk modelling, BEIS and Director of Labour Market Enforcement priorities and analysis, and third party intelligence, and will typically investigate a number of related risks.
If anyone thinks they are not receiving at least the minimum wage, they can contact Acas, in confidence, on 0300 123 1100 or submit a query online using the link https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pay-and-work-rights-complaints .