Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing universal credit entitlement for people that are (a) single and under 25 years of age and (b) in a couple and under 25 years of age.
Answered by Will Quince
As a result of changes made in April, the Universal Credit standard allowance increased by £20 per week for the next 12 months – equivalent to up to £1,040 a year. This is in addition to the 1.7% inflation increase, announced Nov 2019, as part of the Government’s decision to end the benefits freeze, and means more financial support for millions of people across the UK.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help help ensure that asylum seekers living in hotel accommodation in Scotland are re-homed.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is Home Office policy to move people into suitable Dispersed Accommodation (DA) once their claim for support has been assessed, however we have had to restrict movement during COVID on public health advice.
Glasgow is currently the only dispersal area in Scotland and therefore procurement of longer term accommodation is limited to the city. Mears are working to procure suitable longer term accommodation across Glasgow and it is our intention, once restrictions on movement are lifted, to move all individuals in contingency accommodation into suitable DA, in consultation with Glasgow City Council.
We are working closely with public health colleagues (Greater Glasgow PHU) and local health leads (Asylum Health Bridging Team) to ensure their guidance on social distancing and self-isolation is properly applied, while ensuring that people can continue to access essential services. Accommodation providers have taken appropriate steps to comply with public health guidelines by limiting access to communal areas, sequencing food service, serving food to rooms, applying controls for distancing (e.g. tape markings) and providing translated public health guidance and instructions.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is taking to help ensure that asylum seekers living in Scotland are (a) aware of and (b) follow the Scottish Government's social distancing advice.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is Home Office policy to move people into suitable Dispersed Accommodation (DA) once their claim for support has been assessed, however we have had to restrict movement during COVID on public health advice.
Glasgow is currently the only dispersal area in Scotland and therefore procurement of longer term accommodation is limited to the city. Mears are working to procure suitable longer term accommodation across Glasgow and it is our intention, once restrictions on movement are lifted, to move all individuals in contingency accommodation into suitable DA, in consultation with Glasgow City Council.
We are working closely with public health colleagues (Greater Glasgow PHU) and local health leads (Asylum Health Bridging Team) to ensure their guidance on social distancing and self-isolation is properly applied, while ensuring that people can continue to access essential services. Accommodation providers have taken appropriate steps to comply with public health guidelines by limiting access to communal areas, sequencing food service, serving food to rooms, applying controls for distancing (e.g. tape markings) and providing translated public health guidance and instructions.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what contribution his Department made to the 11 May 2020 Cabinet Office Staying alert and safe (social distancing) advice.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department works closely across Government in developing COVID-19 guidance. The 11 May 2020 Staying Alert and Safe (social distancing) guidance, published by the Cabinet Office, included contributions from Departmental policy units and Public Health England (an arm’s length body of the Department) and was approved by Public Health England, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will assess the potential merits of zero-rated social care services for VAT purposes to allow regulated social care companies to reclaim VAT on expenses.
Answered by Jesse Norman
While all taxes are kept under review, there are currently no plans to change the VAT treatment of social care services.Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of backdating VAT status for social care services with increased personal and protective equipment costs as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has taken extraordinary action in introducing the new temporary zero rate on Personal Protective Equipment. This helps all consumers of such equipment, but especially social care providers who cannot recover VAT on this cost.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the cost to the public purse has been to date of implementing hybrid proceedings in Parliament.
Answered by Pete Wishart
The House of Commons Commission is responsible for the hybrid proceedings in the Commons. The costs set out below therefore relate only to work associated with the Commons, not Parliament as a whole. The figures show combined implementation/other one-off costs and running costs as at 31 May 2020, and cover committed spend up to that date, not just actual expenditure.
VIRTUAL CHAMBER REVENUE COSTS:
Chamber set up – £31,200
Broadcasting hub set up – £12,734
Specialist operating team – £176,000
Technical infrastructure hire – £334,000
Remote broadcasting provision for Ministers and other key Members – £70,000
Additional internet bandwidth – £6,000
Sub-total excluding VAT = £629,934
(all supplier costs concerned, excluding any capital costs, are VAT recoverable)
VIRTUAL CHAMBER CAPITAL COSTS:
Broadcasting equipment – £123,994
Hansard recording equipment – £58,306
Sub-total excluding VAT = £182,300
Sub-total including VAT = £218,760
REMOTE VOTING, BALLOTING AND ANNUNCIATOR COSTS:
Remote voting (development, hosting) – £40,000 approx.
Commons Balloting – £12,500
Remote annunciator (“UKParliamentNow”) – £33,464 (Commons share only)
Sub-total including VAT = £85,964
VIRTUAL COMMITTEES REVENUE COSTS:
Implementation = £24,327 ex VAT (£29,192 including VAT)
VIRTUAL COMMITTEES CAPITAL COSTS:
Implementation = £330,824 ex VAT (£396,988 including VAT)
ONLINE BY-ELECTION FOR SELECT COMMITTEE CHAIRS
£3,780 including VAT.
TOTAL REVENUE INCLUDING NON-RECOVERABLE VAT = £745,090
TOTAL CAPITAL INCLUDING VAT = £615,748
GRAND TOTAL = £1,360,838
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary for the Home Department, if she will allow people who are able to work on their visa but have no access to public funds to be temporarily granted access to public funds for income during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government has put in place a range of measures to support people affected by the covid-19 outbreak and we will continue to review the situation to consider if more can be done.
The Home Office is working closely with other government departments to support people, including migrants with no recourse to public funds, through this crisis We are taking a compassionate and pragmatic approach to an unprecedented situation.
Migrants with leave under the Family and Human Rights routes can apply to have the restriction lifted by making a ‘change of conditions’ application if there has been a change in their financial circumstances. The Home Office has recently digitised the application form to make sure it is accessible for those who need to remain at home, and I can assure you that the applications are being dealt with swiftly and compassionately.
The Coronavirus job retention scheme, self-employment income support and statutory sick pay are not classed as public funds for immigration purposes. Contribution-based benefits are also not classed as public funds for immigration purposes. Additionally, measures we have brought forward such as rent and mortgage protections are not considered public funds and can be accessed by migrants with leave to remain.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Government has spent on television advertising in relation to covid-19.
Answered by Chloe Smith
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 33512 on 21 April 2020.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide financial support to self-employed mothers whose average earnings will be less as a result of taking maternity leave during the timeframe for eligibility for accessing the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Self-Employed Income Support Scheme has been designed to deliver support as quickly and effectively as possible to millions of individuals. The Government understands the challenges faced by those with periods of maternity leave and the existing averaging calculation takes account of periods of reduced profits. The Government will continue to work with stakeholders to make sure funding reaches those who need it most, keeping all policies under review, while ensuring that any potential changes do not risk the wider delivery of Government schemes.