Asked by: Mick Whitley (Labour - Birkenhead)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial support will be available for people who are extremely clinically vulnerable and unable to return to work after 1 August 2020 because they cannot work from home and their workplace cannot be made covid-secure.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
On 22 June, the Prime Minister announced that the Government will relax the current public health guidance for those identified as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) to shield at home. This means from 1 August they will be able to return to work if they are unable to work from home, provided their workplace is COVID-safe.
It is important that this group continue to take careful precautions, and employers should do all they can to enable them to work from home where this is possible, including moving them to another role if required. Where this is not possible, the CEV should be provided with the safest on-site roles that enable them to maintain social distancing from others.
If employers cannot provide a safe working environment, the CEV will continue to have access to an unprecedented package of financial support. This is not limited to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, but also includes the introduction of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and an increase in the generosity of welfare payments worth a further £9.3bn according to Office for Budget Responsibility estimates.
Asked by: Mick Whitley (Labour - Birkenhead)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of redundancies amongst maritime workers at (a) P&O Ferries and (b) Stena Line on the UK’s capacity to move (i) freight and (ii) passengers on international roll-on roll-off ferry routes during and after the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - Leader of HM Official Opposition
The Government recognises that the news regarding job losses at P&O and Stena will be distressing for employees and their families.
The Government has already announced a range of measures to support all businesses, including roll-on roll-off ferry operators, and we encourage all firms to draw on this unprecedented package of support.
In addition, on 24 April Government committed up to £35m to keeping freight flowing on critical routes into and across the UK.
Asked by: Mick Whitley (Labour - Birkenhead)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to allow public markets run by local authorities to apply for business rate relief in response to the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Guidance for local authorities on the application of this business rates holiday was published on 18 March and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/business-rates-retail-discount-guidance.
The Government has announced £1.6bn of additional funding to support local authorities in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. This funding is intended to help local authorities address the pressures that they are facing across services.