Asked by: William Wragg (Independent - Hazel Grove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will amend the eligibility criteria for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to include new starters who were not on the payroll with their new company on 19 March 2020 but had a contractual agreement in place with that employer.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is open to any individual who was on an employer’s PAYE payroll on or before 19 March 2020 and for whom HMRC received an RTI submission notifying payment in respect of that employee on or before the 19 March 2020. Processing claims for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme where HMRC did not have RTI data by 19 March would significantly slow down the system while risking substantial levels of fraud. It would also require greater resource for HMRC when they are already under significant pressure to deliver the system designed.
Those not eligible for the scheme may have access to other support which the Government is providing, including a package of temporary welfare measures and up to three months’ mortgage payment holidays for those in difficulty with their mortgage payments.
Asked by: William Wragg (Independent - Hazel Grove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons the submission of contracts as evidence of employment are not permitted to allow new starters to access the Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has prioritised helping the greatest number of people as quickly as possible, and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) will enable millions of people to remain employed.
The Government set up the CJRS to operate at significant scale and with limited manual intervention. To be eligible for the CJRS, employees must have been on their employer’s PAYE payroll on or before 19 March 2020 and HMRC must have received an RTI submission notifying payment in respect of that employee on or before 19 March 2020. The eligibility requirements aim to ensure that as many people as possible are included in the scheme, while allowing HMRC to verify claims using data they hold, mitigating the risk of fraudulent use of the scheme.
Asked by: William Wragg (Independent - Hazel Grove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many statutory instruments required for the implementation of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 have been (a) produced in draft form and (b) approved by his Department.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Every statutory instrument is approved and signed by a Minister. All negative and affirmative (draft) statutory instruments are published on legislation.gov.uk, and the Government has committed that statutory instruments relating to EU Exit will be clearly titled.Asked by: William Wragg (Independent - Hazel Grove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many statutory instruments required for the implementation of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 have been (a) produced in draft form and (b) approved by his Department.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Every statutory instrument is approved and signed by a Minister. All negative and affirmative (draft) statutory instruments are published on legislation.gov.uk, and the Government has committed that statutory instruments relating to EU Exit will be clearly titled.