Asked by: Simon Baynes (Conservative - Clwyd South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to support the safe reopening of high streets as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
Answered by Simon Clarke
Through our Safer Urban Centres Guidance, the Government has set out how our high streets can be made COVID secure through social distancing. Building on this, our £50 million Reopening High Streets Safely Fund (RHSSF) is providing councils with additional funding to support their business communities and local economies with measures that enable safe trading in public places. This funding is playing a key role in getting people back to work, supporting businesses and helping to reinvigorate our communities, safely kick starting the economy as lockdown eases.
Asked by: Simon Baynes (Conservative - Clwyd South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to ensure business readiness in the agricultural sector in northern Wales at the end of the transition period.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The Government is working to support agricultural businesses right across the country in getting ready for the end of the UK transition period. Further details of our actions and the steps which businesses in northern Wales and across the UK need to take can be found on gov.uk/transition.
Asked by: Simon Baynes (Conservative - Clwyd South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress he has made in finding accommodation for rough sleepers in North Wales during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
Housing and sourcing accommodation for rough sleepers in Wales is a devolved matter.
In England, almost 15,000 vulnerable people have been housed in emergency accommodation, including hotels, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to returns from local authorities. This includes people coming in directly from the streets, people previously housed in shared night shelters and people who have become vulnerable to rough sleeping during the pandemic.
Asked by: Simon Baynes (Conservative - Clwyd South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what support he is providing to small builders in North Wales.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
Whilst policy relating to construction is a devolved matter, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced a £330 billion support package of Government-backed and guaranteed loans so as to help businesses to access finance, including those in Wales.
Measures include the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), which enables small and medium-sized enterprises, with a turnover of up to £45 million, to access vital financial support. This is available to businesses in Wales via high street banks and the Development Bank of Wales. The Chancellor has extended the CBILS so that all viable businesses affected by COVID-19, and not just those unable to secure regular commercial financing, will now be eligible should they need finance to keep operating during this difficult time. In addition, we announced the Bounce Back Loans Scheme, which provides loans of up to £50,000 to benefit small businesses with a 100% Government-backed guarantee for lenders.
The Welsh Government has announced a new £500 million Welsh fund which will support firms of all sizes, including social enterprises.
Asked by: Simon Baynes (Conservative - Clwyd South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to increase investment in infrastructure to improve access to town centres in North Wales.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Treasury’s priority is to support the whole UK economy through Covid-19 and enable a strong and sustainable recovery from the crisis.
On 8 July, the Chancellor provided a Summer Economic Update to Parliament, where he confirmed an additional £500 million of funding for the Welsh Government in response to Covid-19. In total, the Treasury is providing £2.8 billion through the Barnett formula to help the Welsh Government to recover and respond to the needs of its economy. This is in addition to key schemes available UK-wide to support businesses and the labour market.
The Government is also investing £150m in the North Wales Growth Deal to help deliver jobs and economic growth to the local area.
Asked by: Simon Baynes (Conservative - Clwyd South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support he is providing to help local authorities in North Wales experiencing a reduction in income during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Simon Clarke
Local government is a devolved matter, and therefore MHCLG do not engage directly with Welsh councils.
Asked by: Simon Baynes (Conservative - Clwyd South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to support pupils’ mental health during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Vicky Ford
We have been working closely with partners to provide resources and guidance to support and promote children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 outbreak. This includes signposting to resources on supporting and promoting mental wellbeing among the list of resources to help children to learn at home, which are available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources.
We have encouraged schools to focus on pastoral support as more pupils return to school this term. Children in Reception, year 1 and year 6 are now able to return to primary school, and year 10 and year 12 pupils are able to receive face-to-face support at secondary school. Primary schools with capacity can bring back additional groups, in line with existing protective measures. We have also given schools the flexibility to have face-to-face ‘check-ups’ with all pupils during the summer term.
The return to school is a key part of supporting the mental health and wellbeing of pupils, as in addition to providing more opportunities for physical activity, attendance at school allows social interaction with peers, carers and teachers, which benefits wellbeing. The department has now published detailed plans for all children and young people to return to full-time education from September. The guidance for schools is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.
We are working with the Department of Health and Social Care to put in place further specific support for school staff to understand the issues that pupils will face with their mental wellbeing. This includes training for teachers, such as a new module developed with clinical experts on how to teach about mental health in health education. More information is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-mental-wellbeing.
Access to mental health support is more important than ever during the COVID-19 outbreak. NHS services remain open. Leading mental health charities are being supported to deliver additional services through the £5 million Coronavirus Mental Health Response Fund. During Mental Health Awareness Week, the government also announced that a further £4.2 million will be awarded to mental health charities, including the Samaritans, Young Minds, and Bipolar UK.
All NHS mental health trusts have been asked to ensure that there are 24/7 open access telephone lines to support people of all ages. Public Health England and Health Education England have also developed advice and guidance for parents and professionals on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing, which is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-supporting-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-and-wellbeing.
In addition, children and young people can access free confidential support anytime from government-backed voluntary and community sector organisations either by texting SHOUT to 85258, or by calling Childline on 0800 1111 or The Mix on 0808 808 4994. Children and young people can also find online information on COVID-19 and mental health on the Young Minds website, which is available here:
https://youngminds.org.uk/about-us/reports/coronavirus-impact-on-young-people-with-mental-health-needs/.
Asked by: Simon Baynes (Conservative - Clwyd South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress he is making on the reopening of schools during the covid-19 outbreak for eligible year groups.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government’s plan is for all pupils, in all year groups, to return to school full-time from the beginning of the autumn term. On 2 July we published guidance to help schools prepare for this. The guidance can be viewed at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.
From the 1 June, we have asked primary schools to welcome back children in nursery, Reception, year 1 and year 6, alongside the children of critical workers and vulnerable children of all ages. Where primary schools have capacity, they have the flexibility to choose to welcome back additional pupils. It is up to schools to decide which pupils to welcome back, based on their knowledge of their children and communities
From 15 June, secondary schools have been able to invite year 10 and year 12 pupils (years 10 and 11 for alternative provision schools) back into school for some face-to-face support with their teachers to supplement their remote education.
Primary and secondary schools also have the flexibility to invite pupils in other year groups in for a face-to-face meeting before the end of this term, where it would be beneficial. We have asked schools to ensure this happens in line with wider protective measures guidance, and guidance on the numbers of pupils permitted on-site at any one time.
The daily national figures for the proportion of schools open to eligible year groups can be found at the following publication:
The data is collected from individual education establishments and the published figures include estimates for non-response.
Asked by: Simon Baynes (Conservative - Clwyd South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to dismantle the operations of county lines drugs gangs in North Wales.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
This Government is determined to crack down on the county lines gangs who are exploiting our children and have a devastating impact on our communities.
That is why we are delivering a £25m programme of investment to help put a stop to these ruthless gangs. Our overall package launched in October last year and includes: expanding the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre, increased disruption on the rail networks by the British Transport Police’s County Lines Taskforce, operational activity against high harm lines in the three major exporting force areas (the Metropolitan Police, Merseyside, West Midlands), investment in new technology, and increased support for victims. Our funding has supported joint operations across England and Wales, including with North Wales Police.
Our investment is already delivering results; as a result of the first phase of activity, between November 2019 and March 2020, the Metropolitan Police, Merseyside, West Midlands and the British Transport Police made over 650 arrests, closed nearly 140 deal lines, seized cash and drugs with a total value of over £3 million, made over 100 weapons seizures, and safeguarded a number of individuals, including 140 children.
Asked by: Simon Baynes (Conservative - Clwyd South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress the Government has made on border planning for the Welsh coast for the end of the transition period.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
I refer the hon. Member to the oral statement made by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 13 July about the publication of a detailed Border Operating Model. This will allow Welsh border industry and traders to prepare for the end of the transition period.