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Written Question
Hospices: Apprentices
Wednesday 23rd February 2022

Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department (a) has taken and (b) is planning to take to encourage hospices to access Apprenticeship Levy funding.

Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

We are increasing funding for apprenticeships to £2.7 billion by 2024/25. This will support apprenticeships in non-levy employers, such as hospices, where the Government will continue to pay 95% of training costs.

Since 1 April 2021, all non-levy paying employers, including hospices, arranging new apprenticeships must do so through the apprenticeship service. This provides more control over apprenticeship choices and the ability to reserve funds before choosing the appropriate apprenticeship provider. All small and medium-sized enterprises, such as hospices, have been able to reserve funding for up to 10 new apprenticeships in 2021/22.


Written Question
Housing: Energy
Wednesday 9th February 2022

Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)

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 financially assist those people living in listed and older properties to insulate their homes to be energy efficient.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy set out a comprehensive package of measures to retrofit the nation’s buildings. Alongside this the Government announced more than £3.9 billion of new funding for decarbonising heat and buildings, bringing the total commitment in this Parliament to £6.6billion.

As part of this, the Government has a number of grant schemes to support people on low incomes to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. These schemes include the Local Authority Delivery Scheme, the Home Upgrade Grant and the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. In addition, the Government has committed to extending the Energy Company Obligation from 2022 to 2026, boosting its value from £640 million to £1 billion a year. This will help an extra 305,000 households with green measures such as insulation.

Measures delivered through Government schemes must meet independent installation standards; these standards ensure that measures are installed correctly in different types of homes.


Written Question
Local Government: Local Press
Thursday 3rd February 2022

Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he is taking steps to ensure that local authorities can place statutory notices with digital-only news outlets, particularly in communities that do not have printed news outlets.

Answered by Christopher Pincher

The Government is mindful of the potential effect that any changes to the existing publicity requirements for statutory notices might have on transparency and local democracy, as well as the potential effect on the sustainability of the local news sector as a whole. We recognise the continued importance of print local newspapers to the communities they serve and that there will continue to be a need to reach out to people who cannot digitally access information. We currently have no plans to change the statutory duty to publish statutory notices.


Written Question
Children: Protection
Wednesday 2nd February 2022

Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Health and Social Care Bill proposals on joint working between local authorities, the police and health authorities on safeguarding children.

Answered by Will Quince

Safeguarding children requires strong multi-agency arrangements. This statutory duty is equally shared between local authorities, health and police. The department is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care, the Home Office and key sector stakeholders to ensure that safeguarding remains a priority under the Health and Social Care Bill. We are also working to assure that the needs of children and young people stay central to decision-making within these new multi-agency arrangements.


Written Question
Home Education
Wednesday 2nd February 2022

Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Government’s response to the Education Committee’s Third Report on Strengthening Home Education, published on 26 October 2021, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to create a statutory register including home educated children, based on the Government's response to the Committee’s report.

Answered by Robin Walker

The department remains committed to a form of local authority register for children not in school and we intend to legislate for it at a suitable opportunity. We will set out further details in the government response to the ‘Children Not in School’ consultation, which we will publish in coming weeks.


Written Question
Credit
Monday 31st January 2022

Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure people understand the financial consequences of using buy now, pay later services to fund purchases.

Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

HM Treasury regularly monitors changes in the consumer credit market as part of the normal process of policy development.

The Woolard Review into the unsecured credit market found several potential risks of consumer detriment from interest-free Buy-Now Pay-Later products, including the absence of information given to consumers about features of Buy-Now Pay-Later agreements. The Government recognises those risks, but also notes that as an interest-free product, Buy-Now Pay-Later can often be lower-risk than other forms of borrowing and a useful tool to help consumers manage their finances. That is why, on 2 February 2021, the Government announced its intention to regulate Buy-Now Pay-Later products in a proportionate manner.

The Government published a consultation on policy proposals for the regulation of Buy-Now Pay-Later on 21 October 2021, which closed on 6 January. The consultation included proposals to apply Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules on pre-contract disclosure and adequate explanations to Buy-Now Pay-Later agreements. These rules require firms to make adequate pre-contractual explanation to ensure the customer is in a position to assess whether the agreement is suitable for their needs and financial situation.

The Government is now reviewing responses to this consultation and considering next steps and intends to publish a consultation response in the spring.

HMT does not hold information regarding the number of 18- to 24-year-olds who have been referred to debt collection agencies by Buy-Now Pay-Later in the last 12 months, or the amount collected in late payment fees by the Buy-Now Pay-Later sector in each of the last three years. Instead, HMT draws on the research of various stakeholders including consumer groups and the wider financial services industry.


Written Question
Credit
Monday 31st January 2022

Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of increases in the number of people using buy now, pay later services as an additional form of short-term credit financing.

Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

HM Treasury regularly monitors changes in the consumer credit market as part of the normal process of policy development.

The Woolard Review into the unsecured credit market found several potential risks of consumer detriment from interest-free Buy-Now Pay-Later products, including the absence of information given to consumers about features of Buy-Now Pay-Later agreements. The Government recognises those risks, but also notes that as an interest-free product, Buy-Now Pay-Later can often be lower-risk than other forms of borrowing and a useful tool to help consumers manage their finances. That is why, on 2 February 2021, the Government announced its intention to regulate Buy-Now Pay-Later products in a proportionate manner.

The Government published a consultation on policy proposals for the regulation of Buy-Now Pay-Later on 21 October 2021, which closed on 6 January. The consultation included proposals to apply Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules on pre-contract disclosure and adequate explanations to Buy-Now Pay-Later agreements. These rules require firms to make adequate pre-contractual explanation to ensure the customer is in a position to assess whether the agreement is suitable for their needs and financial situation.

The Government is now reviewing responses to this consultation and considering next steps and intends to publish a consultation response in the spring.

HMT does not hold information regarding the number of 18- to 24-year-olds who have been referred to debt collection agencies by Buy-Now Pay-Later in the last 12 months, or the amount collected in late payment fees by the Buy-Now Pay-Later sector in each of the last three years. Instead, HMT draws on the research of various stakeholders including consumer groups and the wider financial services industry.


Written Question
Credit
Monday 31st January 2022

Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of amount collected in late payment fees by the buy now, pay later sector in each of the last three years.

Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

HM Treasury regularly monitors changes in the consumer credit market as part of the normal process of policy development.

The Woolard Review into the unsecured credit market found several potential risks of consumer detriment from interest-free Buy-Now Pay-Later products, including the absence of information given to consumers about features of Buy-Now Pay-Later agreements. The Government recognises those risks, but also notes that as an interest-free product, Buy-Now Pay-Later can often be lower-risk than other forms of borrowing and a useful tool to help consumers manage their finances. That is why, on 2 February 2021, the Government announced its intention to regulate Buy-Now Pay-Later products in a proportionate manner.

The Government published a consultation on policy proposals for the regulation of Buy-Now Pay-Later on 21 October 2021, which closed on 6 January. The consultation included proposals to apply Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules on pre-contract disclosure and adequate explanations to Buy-Now Pay-Later agreements. These rules require firms to make adequate pre-contractual explanation to ensure the customer is in a position to assess whether the agreement is suitable for their needs and financial situation.

The Government is now reviewing responses to this consultation and considering next steps and intends to publish a consultation response in the spring.

HMT does not hold information regarding the number of 18- to 24-year-olds who have been referred to debt collection agencies by Buy-Now Pay-Later in the last 12 months, or the amount collected in late payment fees by the Buy-Now Pay-Later sector in each of the last three years. Instead, HMT draws on the research of various stakeholders including consumer groups and the wider financial services industry.


Written Question
Credit: Young People
Monday 31st January 2022

Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the number of 18 to 24 year olds who have been referred to debt collection agencies by buy now, pay later firms in the last 12 months.

Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

HM Treasury regularly monitors changes in the consumer credit market as part of the normal process of policy development.

The Woolard Review into the unsecured credit market found several potential risks of consumer detriment from interest-free Buy-Now Pay-Later products, including the absence of information given to consumers about features of Buy-Now Pay-Later agreements. The Government recognises those risks, but also notes that as an interest-free product, Buy-Now Pay-Later can often be lower-risk than other forms of borrowing and a useful tool to help consumers manage their finances. That is why, on 2 February 2021, the Government announced its intention to regulate Buy-Now Pay-Later products in a proportionate manner.

The Government published a consultation on policy proposals for the regulation of Buy-Now Pay-Later on 21 October 2021, which closed on 6 January. The consultation included proposals to apply Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules on pre-contract disclosure and adequate explanations to Buy-Now Pay-Later agreements. These rules require firms to make adequate pre-contractual explanation to ensure the customer is in a position to assess whether the agreement is suitable for their needs and financial situation.

The Government is now reviewing responses to this consultation and considering next steps and intends to publish a consultation response in the spring.

HMT does not hold information regarding the number of 18- to 24-year-olds who have been referred to debt collection agencies by Buy-Now Pay-Later in the last 12 months, or the amount collected in late payment fees by the Buy-Now Pay-Later sector in each of the last three years. Instead, HMT draws on the research of various stakeholders including consumer groups and the wider financial services industry.


Written Question
Credit: Public Consultation
Monday 31st January 2022

Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to publish a response to the consultation on the regulation of buy now pay later products which closed on 6 January 2022.

Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

HM Treasury regularly monitors changes in the consumer credit market as part of the normal process of policy development.

The Woolard Review into the unsecured credit market found several potential risks of consumer detriment from interest-free Buy-Now Pay-Later products, including the absence of information given to consumers about features of Buy-Now Pay-Later agreements. The Government recognises those risks, but also notes that as an interest-free product, Buy-Now Pay-Later can often be lower-risk than other forms of borrowing and a useful tool to help consumers manage their finances. That is why, on 2 February 2021, the Government announced its intention to regulate Buy-Now Pay-Later products in a proportionate manner.

The Government published a consultation on policy proposals for the regulation of Buy-Now Pay-Later on 21 October 2021, which closed on 6 January. The consultation included proposals to apply Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules on pre-contract disclosure and adequate explanations to Buy-Now Pay-Later agreements. These rules require firms to make adequate pre-contractual explanation to ensure the customer is in a position to assess whether the agreement is suitable for their needs and financial situation.

The Government is now reviewing responses to this consultation and considering next steps and intends to publish a consultation response in the spring.

HMT does not hold information regarding the number of 18- to 24-year-olds who have been referred to debt collection agencies by Buy-Now Pay-Later in the last 12 months, or the amount collected in late payment fees by the Buy-Now Pay-Later sector in each of the last three years. Instead, HMT draws on the research of various stakeholders including consumer groups and the wider financial services industry.