Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government whether the Government has plans to classify haberdasheries as essential businesses in order to provide supplies to volunteers producing personal protective equipment.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Haberdasheries have been asked to close along with many other retail premises to minimise the risk of the spread of the coronavirus. It is positive to see a public desire to volunteer to help in the response to the virus and it is vital that all frontline staff get the personal protective equipment (PPE) they need.
At all times we have been consistently guided by scientific advice to protect lives. The current advice from SAGE is that relaxing business closures measures too quickly could risk damage to public health, our economy, and the sacrifices we have all made. The government has set up five tests that must be met before the lockdown measures (including the closure of certain retail businesses) can be lifted. These consider NHS capacity, death rates, transmission rates, availability of PPE, and avoidance of a second peak of the virus.
In the meantime, online retail is still open and encouraged and postal and delivery service will continue to run. This could enable the activities of haberdasheries to continue.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what engagement the Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group has had with the (a) Attorney General’s Office, (b) Cabinet Office, (c) Crown Prosecution Service, (d) Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, (e) Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, (f) Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport; (g) Department for Education, (h) Foreign and Commonwealth Office, (i) Home Office, (j) Ministry of Justice, and (k) Department for Transport in the last 12 months.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
The Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group meets quarterly. Independent members of the Working Group work alongside the listed departments, representatives from the Muslim communities, independent experts, academics, and ex-officio members of the Working Group to tackle anti-Muslim hatred.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which (a) persons and (b) organisations the Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group has met with in the last 12 months.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
The Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group was established to consider and take forward proposals to tackle anti-Muslim hatred. Members are expected to interact regularly with a broad range stakeholders at an individual and organisational level. This includes Muslim communities, key partners, government departments, local service providers, police and interfaith groups.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when the terms of reference of the Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group (a) were last and (b) are next due to be reviewed.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
The terms of reference of the Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group were last reviewed during the process to refresh the membership this year. The terms of reference are reviewed regularly.