Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
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 May 2020 to Question 43723 on Small Business Grants Fund: Coronavirus, what the (a) timeframe and (b) conditions are for the allocation of that additional funding to local authorities to meet the administrative costs of delivering business grants.
Answered by Paul Scully
We are committed to meeting the administrative costs incurred by local authorities through the delivery of the Small Business Grants Fund, the Retail Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund and the Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund. We are working closely with a group of local authorities to understand these costs and to determine a fair and reasonable process for meeting these. We will be in touch with all local authorities with further details of this in due course.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Prime Minister's statement of 10 May 2020, what support the Government plans to provide to businesses in the event that measures to ease the covid-19 lockdown are reversed to control local covid-19 outbreaks; and what the planned timeframe for providing that support is.
Answered by Paul Scully
Thanks to the effort of the British public we are now at the stage where we can take the first steps to modifying the restrictions on social distancing including encouraging those who cannot work from home to go back to work. We will be monitoring the situation locally, regionally, and nationally and if there are outbreaks, we will not hesitate to put on the brakes.
We have published guidance for several work environments to help ensure workplaces are as safe as possible and have set out practical steps employers can take to enable staff to work safely. We will be keeping the guidance under review as and when we move through the steps my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister set out on 10 May. We continue to work with stakeholders on developing sensible guidance for businesses that will give UK workers the utmost confidence on their return to work.
My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced unprecedented support for business and workers, including a Bounce Back Loans scheme and the extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to allow business to plan for the coming months with certainty.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Prime Minister's covid-19 announcement on 10 May 2020 and pursuant to the Answer of 27 April 2020 to Question 35028 on Companies: Coronavirus, whether the guidance for workers concerned about health and safety referred to in that Answer remains Government policy.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The advice provided in the response to Question 35028 is still correct.
We have been working closely with business bodies, trade unions, Public Health England, and workplace safety experts to agree clear guidance on how individuals can return to work safely.
On 11 May, we published further guidance on how businesses should introduce reasonably practicable measures, such as risk assessments, to mitigate the risks of Covid-19. This guidance includes details of how to raise concerns.
If a business is not operating in line with the Government’s guidance, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or relevant local authority can take enforcement action. Actions include providing specific advice to employers, through to issuing enforcement notices.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
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 Prime Minister's statement of 10 May 2020, if he will (a) list the industries and workplaces that can now reopen and (b) publish guidance for those sectors and workplaces to follow.
Answered by Paul Scully
The list of businesses which must remain closed at present are published online and updated when relevant at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close-guidance.
However, in consultation with industry, we have also produced guidance to help ensure workplaces are as safe as possible if they are able to reopen. Our approach has not been split by specific business types or industries, but by the type of work environment instead, such as factories, outdoor work or offices. The guidance reminds employers that they have a duty under UK law to protect the health and safety of their workers and other people who might be affected by their business. This includes considering the risks that COVID-19 represents. The guidance is published online at www.gov.uk/workingsafely.
As part of the plan for Phase 2 of reopening of the economy, the Prime Minister announced the establishment of five taskforces: pubs and restaurants; non-essential retail (including salons); recreation and leisure (including tourism, culture and heritage, libraries, entertainment and sport); places of worship; and international aviation. Officials are now working on the details of how the taskforces will operate.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the level of adherence to social distancing guidance in takeaway restaurant kitchens.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government has introduced important social distancing measures for all types of businesses to consider in order to minimise the risk of transmission in the workplace. The Government has been clear that it is vital that all employers follow this guidance, which is clinically led and based on expert advice.
The advice on social distancing measures applies to everyone. This includes all staff in a takeaway business, including those working in the kitchen, and in any external public areas where customers may need to queue to collect orders. In order to support?employers, we have provided additional guidance about how these measures might be implemented in different sectors:?https://www.gov.uk/guidance/social-distancing-in-the-workplace-during-coronavirus-covid-19-sector-guidance?
We have produced specific guidance, which applies to any food preparation or food service setting where food is sold directly to the consumer. For example, bars, pubs and restaurants operating as takeaways, cafes, food to go, food delivery and traditional takeaway (fixed and mobile); and contract catering at the point of service to the consumer such as in office or similar environments. It specifically refers to the requirement of businesses in the food industry to maintain social distancing in kitchens and other food preparation areas.
We have outlined a number of measures, which we expect employers to consider in order to reduce contact in kitchens. These include:
If a business is not operating in line with the Government guidance, there is a role for the relevant health and safety enforcing authority - the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or Local Authority. Where the enforcing authority identifies employers who are not taking action to comply with the relevant public health legislation and guidance to control public health risks, for example, employers not taking appropriate action to socially distance, the enforcing authority will consider taking a range of actions to improve control of workplace risks. These actions include the provision of specific advice to employers through to issuing enforcement notices to help secure improvements with the guidance.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
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 4 May 2020 to Question 902140 on Small Business Grants Fund: Coronavirus, what additional support his Department is providing to local authorities to ensure grant funding is made available as quickly as possible.
Answered by Paul Scully
Government is providing a package of support for businesses and workers, in recognition of the disruption caused by Covid-19. This includes £12.3bn for local authorities to deliver to SMEs under the Small Business Grants Fund (SBGF) and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund (RHLGF). On 1 May, the Business Secretary announced a further up to £617 million available to local authorities to support small businesses previously outside the scope of the business grant funding. Government is working closely with all local authorities to help them make payments to businesses as quickly and effectively as possible, whilst safeguarding public funds. As part of this we have provided detailed guidance and FAQs, regular briefings and one-to-one support from ministers and officials. Government will also provide additional funding to local authorities to meet the administrative costs of delivering this policy.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
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 has made of the effect of the covid-19 lockdown on the recruitment sector.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has not made a formal assessment of the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on the recruitment sector specifically. The Government is working to minimise any social and economic disruption as a result of Covid-19. We hold regular meetings with representatives of businesses and workers in the recruitment sector at all levels to understand the challenges they are facing and to help develop the Government’s response.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
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 set up a hotline for members of the public to report organisations and companies that do not comply with Government policy on closing of premises and working from home in response to the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
We would urge employers to take socially responsible decisions and listen to the concerns of their workforce. Employers and employees should come to a pragmatic agreement about these arrangements.
Where a worker has a concern about health and safety which cannot be resolved through speaking with their employer or trade union, they can contact the relevant enforcement agency – either their local authority or the Health and Safety Executive. Where the Health and Safety Executive are made aware of an employer not complying with the relevant Public Health England guidance (including enabling social distancing where it is practical to do so), HSE will consider a range of action, from providing specific advice to employers through to issuing enforcement notices.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
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 he has made of the potential merits of installing (a) hand sanitiser dispensers at the entrances of essential shops and (b) protective gloves, masks and cleaning products at checkouts to limit the spread of covid-19.
Answered by Paul Scully
Public Health England have issued guidance for employers and businesses to support them in reducing the effects of Covid-19, which is available at:
The Government welcomes efforts by retailers to reduce the spread of Covid-19 through the implementation of this advice.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
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 provide financial support to Business Improvement Districts that have waived their levy to support local businesses during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
Given the significant role that Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) play in town centre management and regeneration, they will have a significant role in the recovery phase.
The emergency Coronavirus Act enables BIDs to delay ballots between now and 31 December 2020, extending the BID arrangements until 31 March 2021. This will allow businesses to focus on recovery from economic shock before deciding whether to participate in BID arrangements for the following five-year period.
This will support BIDs approaching their ballot in the next few months, allowing them to reprioritise their work and support the communities during this critical time. It is a proportionate response which balances the need to address the immediate crisis while also ensuring businesses are not denied the right to vote in these ballots for an extended period.
We are exploring ways we can support BIDs directly, and businesses can also benefit from the substantial package of support announced by my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer.