Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2021 to Question 132959, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to amend section 44(1)(d) and (e) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 to extend the provisions to apply to all limb (b) workers, and on what timescale; and if will he make a statement.
Answered by Paul Scully
Following the High Court Judgment on the 13th of November 2020, work is underway to amend section 44(1)(d) and (e) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 to extend the health and safety protections contained in these provisions to all limb (b) workers, as well as employees. The Government is committed to making these legislative changes as soon as parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment she has made of the implications of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement for existing EU-derived labour standards.
Answered by Paul Scully
Our high standards have never been dependent on EU membership, and this agreement recognises the importance of these employment standards, whilst retaining flexibility for us to tailor our approach to what works for the UK and maintaining our strong levels of employment protections.
Our ambition is to be the best place in the world to work and grow a business. This agreement provides us with the flexibility to make our own decisions on how to best do this, whilst upholding our high standards.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 applies to limb b workers.
Answered by Paul Scully
Section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (protection from detriment in health and safety cases) currently applies to employees.
Following the High Court Judgment of 13th November 2021, work is underway to amend section 44(1)(d) and (e) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 to extend the rights in these provisions to apply to all limb (b) workers as well as employees.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2020 to Question 123620 on Sharing Economy: Industrial Health and Safety, whether the HSE plans to bring forward proposals to extend to all workers the protections that employees are granted by sections 44 and 100 of the Employment Rights Act 1996.
Answered by Paul Scully
Following the High Court Judgment of 13th November, work is underway to amend section 44 (d) and (e) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (protection from detriment in circumstances of danger) to extend it to all limb (b) workers as well as employees.
We remain committed to ensuring that all workers are adequately protected from workplace risks.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2020 to Question 124215 on Sharing Economy: Industrial Health and Safety, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to transpose Council Directive 89/391/EC into domestic law to protect workers from detriment if they take steps to protect their health and safety at work in the event of serious, imminent and unavoidable danger.
Answered by Paul Scully
Following the High Court Judgment of 13th November, work is underway to amend section 44 (d) and (e) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (protection from detriment in circumstances of danger) to extend it to all limb (b) workers as well as employees.
We remain committed to ensuring that all workers are adequately protected from workplace risks.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Scottish Government and (b) other devolved Administrations on potential alternatives to the (i) Erasmus Plus and (i) Horizon Europe programmes.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
I have regular conversations with our counterparts in the Scottish Government and other Devolved Administrations across a wide range of R&D issues.
These discussions include the UK’s approach to EU research programmes, where the Government is seeking to negotiate with the EU a fair and balanced deal for the UK’s participation including in Horizon Europe. Alongside this, BEIS is working with the Devolved Administrations and other stakeholders to develop credible options should alternative schemes be required. We will continue to engage the Devolved Administrations actively in policy development.
On Erasmus+, the Government remains open to considering participation in some elements of the next programme. This will be subject to our ongoing negotiations with the EU. We will, in parallel with the negotiations, continue to develop a domestic alternative to Erasmus+. My Hon. Friend the Minister of State for Universities regularly engages with her counterparts in the Devolved Administrations on matters relating to education and EU exit, including Erasmus+ and the potential domestic alternative. The Devolved Administrations are also part of the governance and development process for the domestic alternative scheme, and we will continue to co-operate closely with them.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
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 the views of the Scottish Government and other devolved Administrations are reflected in the UK position in negotiations on continued UK participation in EU programmes Erasmus Plus and Horizon Europe after the transition period.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Minister of State for Universities and I have regular conversations with our counterparts in the Scottish Government and other Devolved Administrations across a wide range of education and science, research and innovation issues, including those relating to possible future participation in Erasmus Plus and Horizon Europe.
The Government is open to participation in Horizon Europe if a fair and balanced deal can be reached. Alongside this, BEIS is working with the Devolved Administrations to develop credible options should alternative schemes be required. Funding for any continued participation in EU research and innovation Programmes or EU replacement schemes is subject to allocations at the Spending Review.
The Minister of State for Universities’ discussions include the UK’s approach to EU study and exchange programmes, including Erasmus+, where the government remains open to considering participation in some elements of the next programme. This will be subject to our ongoing negotiations with the EU. In parallel with the negotiations we are continuing to develop a UK-wide domestic alternative to Erasmus+, as a contingency measure. Decisions on funding beyond 2020-21 will be considered at future spending review processes, including Spending Review 2020 which will set out 2021-22 departmental budgets in November. The Devolved Administrations are also part of the governance and development process for the domestic alternative scheme, and we will continue to co-operate closely with them.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
What assessment he has made of the potential effect on the post office network of the end of the post office subsidy in 2021.
Answered by Paul Scully
Future funding is obviously a matter for the ongoing Spending Review processes, but I can assure the hon Member that the Government remains committed to the long-term sustainability of the Post Office network, which has achieved so much during the Covid-19 crisis.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions the Government had with representatives of Rolls Royce on job retention in the last three months; and whether any future meetings are scheduled.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The Government holds many meetings with companies, including Rolls-Royce, to discuss a wide range of business issues.
Details of meetings held by Ministers in the Department are recorded in our transparency data, which is published at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will extend eligibility for the Coronavirus Bounceback Loan Scheme to incoming proprietors of long-established premises in the hospitality sector where the date of registration of the business entity through that premises was after 1 March 2020.
Answered by Paul Scully
Almost all viable UK-based businesses are eligible to apply for a loan under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS). You can apply for a loan if your business:
Whether or not a business is liable for Business Rates, or occupies business premises, is not a consideration under the scheme.
The Government-backed loan schemes are part of a broad package of support measures for businesses, which include the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, deferral of VAT and income tax payments, grant funding for small businesses, and more. For more information on the support available to them, businesses should visit the Government’s business support website.