Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) HSBC, (2) Standard Charter, (3) Jardine Matheson, or (4) the Swire Group, have benefited from (a) the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, (b) the Recovery Loan Scheme, (c) the COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility provided by the Bank of England, or (d) business rates relief.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
For claims since 1 December 2020, HMRC publishes information about employers who claim through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) on a monthly basis, on gov.uk.
The Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS) launched on 6 April 2021 and is administered by the British Business Bank via a diverse network of accredited commercial lenders, of which HSBC are one.
None of these firms are or have previously been listed in the Bank of England’s published data on firms with outstanding commercial paper in the COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF). This data is available on the Bank of England’s website.
The Government has also provided business rates relief to eligible properties in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, and nurseries. It is for local authorities to determine eligibility for reliefs having regard to guidance issued by the Government. Central government does not hold any information on which businesses are in receipt of relief.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has plans to further increase Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings for rental properties to band C for existing tenants in 2025 and for new tenants in 2028; what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of that increase on the supply of private rented housing as a result of affected landlords potentially leaving the sector; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential for damage to older properties with original features as a result of the work necessary to meet that increased EPC rating.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Department recently consulted on raising the energy performance standards in the domestic private rented sector to EPC band C for new tenancies from 2025 and all tenancies by 2028. As part of the consultation, we sought evidence on the possible impacts of the policy on the size of the private rented sector and on listed buildings and those in conservation areas. We are currently analysing the responses and will be publishing the Government response in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Jenkin of Kennington (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the outturn spending from the public purse on the Prime Ministerial residence in Downing Street in each financial year since 1997 for which records are held.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
The Downing Street complex is a working building, as well as containing two Ministerial residences. As has always been the case, refurbishments and maintenance are made periodically. The Government is legally required to maintain the Downing Street buildings to the high standards appropriate to its Grade 1 and 2 listed status in consultation with Historic England. The listed status, as well as security and other relevant factors, significantly add to the cost of maintenance and repairs, compared to normal properties.
Across successive governments, Prime Ministers have received an annual allowance of up to £30,000 a year from the public purse to contribute towards the costs associated with maintaining and furnishing of the residency within the Downing Street estate.
Such works contribute to assets owned and held by the nation for use by Ministers, including for example for hosting official guests.
Figures for outturn spending from that allowance on the No 11 flat (the residence of the Prime Minister since 1997) are as follows.
To assist public scrutiny, they are presented in cash terms at the time of the payments, and in real terms (equivalent costs today).
Year | Cash outturn | Real terms* |
1997-98 | £16,471 | £25,299 |
1998-99 | £48,336 | £73,040 |
1999-00 | £32,189 | £48,425 |
2000-01 | £37,501 | £55,406 |
2001-02 | £32,945 | £47,973 |
2002-03 | £32,707 | £46,587 |
2003-04 | £21,094 | £29,414 |
2004-05 | £14,012 | £18,996 |
2005-06 | £35,293 | £46,617 |
2006-07 | £14,832 | £19,050 |
2007-08 | £28,150 | £35,164 |
2008-09 | £27,083 | £32,939 |
2009-10 | £29,389 | £35,181 |
2010-11 | £30,000 | £35,267 |
2011-12 | £13,335 | £15,442 |
2012-13 | £0 | £0 |
2013-14 | £20,490 | £22,840 |
2014-15 | £0 | £0 |
2015-16 | £29,106 | £31,744 |
2016-17 | £19,400 | £20,647 |
2017-18 | £0 | £0 |
2018-19 | £6,134 | £6,270 |
2019-20 | £0 | £0 |
*Using HMT figures for GDP deflator for 2019-20.
Note: The annual allowance may be combined or spread to support works across financial years.
Figures exclude essential works to make good the premises prior to occupation.
No works took place in 2019-20 partly due to the general election and the covid pandemic.
Audited figures of spending from the allowance for the 2020-21 financial year are not yet available; works have taken place by long-standing Downing Street contractors on painting, sanding and floorboards. Any costs of wider refurbishment in this year have been met by the Prime Minister personally.
The Government has been considering the merits of whether works on parts or all of the Downing Street estate could be funded by a trust; this could mirror long-standing arrangements in place for Chequers (a private trust) or for Dorneywood (a charitable trust), reducing the need for subsidy from the public purse. Such matters are legally complex and policy development is ongoing. The Government engaged with the Leader of the Opposition’s Office on the proposals in July.
Matters concerning works on the Downing Street estate, including the residences, will be covered in the Cabinet Office’s forthcoming annual report and audited accounts.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of reforming VAT on repair and maintenance of historic buildings.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The current VAT system could be regarded as an incentive to demolish existing buildings entirely and start again. As people take ownership of a property - new build or listed - a standard rate is applied to its maintenance and upkeep; in this respect, there is parity of treatment. However, owners of historic properties, particularly listed buildings, are likely to incur higher costs to maintain their homes. The upkeep of buildings, especially those of heritage significance, is in the wider public interest.
As with all tax matters, this is something which HMT keeps under regular review.
My Officials are engaged with the sector to build a robust evidence base and develop targeted interventions that might benefit listed buildings in this space.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2020 to Question 128640 on Flats: Insulation, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that mortgage lenders do not require EWS1 forms for (a) terraced houses, (b) houses with cladding, (c) houses that have been converted into flats, (d) maisonettes and (e) listed buildings.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) continues to work with wider industry, including lenders, on new guidance for surveyors which should make clearer the circumstances when EWS1 valuations are, and are not, to be requested.
The RICS consultation ends on 25 January 2021: https://www.rics.org/uk/surveying-profession/contribute/consultations/valuation-of-properties-in-multi-storey-multi-occupancy-residential-buildings-with-cladding-1st-edition-guidance-note/ .
Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to reduce VAT on essential repairs to pre-1919 properties.
Answered by Jesse Norman
There was previously a zero rate of VAT on restorative work to listed and historic buildings. However, the relief was mainly being used to carry out extension work, which was contrary to the intent of the legislation to preserve heritage, and was removed following consultation in 2012.
The Government has no current plans to change the VAT treatment of restorative construction work on listed and historic buildings.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
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 has taken to ensure that businesses in the hospitality supply chain are able to access the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund.
Answered by Paul Scully
Under the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF), businesses in England that would have been in receipt of the Expanded Retail Discount (which covers retail, hospitality and leisure) on 11 March, with a rateable value of less than £51,000, will have been eligible for cash grants of up to £25,000 per property.
Eligibility for the RHLGF was therefore contingent on businesses being in scope of the Expanded Retail Discount Scheme for Business Rates, as set out here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/business-rates-retail-discount-guidance. This eligibility definition was agreed by Ministers as a way of ensuring that Local Authorities could target businesses at pace and ensure that the process of disbursing funding could proceed quickly.
As per the Expanded Retail Discount guidance, properties that will benefit from the relief will be occupied hereditaments that are wholly or mainly being used:
In order to qualify for the relief, the hereditament should be wholly or mainly being used for the qualifying purposes as outlined in the guidance. The guidance is not intended to be exhaustive and authorities should determine for themselves whether particular properties not listed are broadly similar in nature to those included within the guidance and, if so, to consider them eligible for the relief.
In addition, on?1 May,?the Government announced the Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund. This scheme was intended to support small businesses?in some of the hardest hit sectors?that were previously outside the scope of the Small Business and Retail, Hospitality & Leisure Grant Funds.
Local authorities were responsible for defining the precise eligibility for this Fund?and?may choose to make payments to businesses based on local economic need,?subject to those businesses meeting the specific eligibility criteria.?Guidance for Local Authorities was published 13 May: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-business-support-grant-funding-guidance-for-businesses.
Businesses which are not eligible for or have not received grant funding should be able to benefit from other measures in the Government’s unprecedented package of support for business.?For further information please?visit:?https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder
Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an exemption from council tax for unoccupied listed buildings to reflect the application of business rates to listed buildings.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
The Government is committed to the protection of the historic environment and has put in place a strong legislative and planning policy framework to achieve this. The Government also supports the maintenance of listed properties through “Our Heritage” funding, further information about which is available at: https://www.hlf.org.uk/looking-funding/our-grant-programmes/our-heritage. Although there are no plans to introduce a council tax exemption for unoccupied listed buildings, local authorities do have powers to provide discretionary council tax discounts where they consider such action appropriate.
Asked by: Stephen Hammond (Conservative - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether event hire companies that pay business rates are eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Paul Scully
Businesses in England that would have been in receipt of the Expanded Retail Discount (which covers retail, hospitality and leisure) on 11 March with a rateable value of less than £51,000 are eligible for support via the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund.
The Government has published guidance on the types of businesses that would be eligible for the Expanded Retail Discount. The list is not exhaustive and it is for local authorities to determine whether particular properties not listed are broadly similar in nature to those that are included and, if so, to consider them eligible for the relief.
In addition, on the 1 May 2020 the Business Secretary announced that a further up to £617 million is being made available to local authorities as a discretionary fund so that they can address cases that are out-of-scope from the Small Business Grants Fund and Retail Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund, including business sectors that weren’t previously covered and businesses that occupy space and pay rent and rates through a landlord.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the right hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, how the Church of England plans to deliver on the General Synod's decision to make the Church carbon zero by 2030.
Answered by Andrew Selous - Second Church Estates Commissioner
The Church of England is committed to reducing its own carbon footprint and is developing several strategies to deliver this, including across its 44,000 properties and schools.
The General Synod at its meeting in February 2020 committed the Church to report back in three years time on whether it could meet the ambitious target set by the Synod of decarbonising the Church by 2030.
One of the first steps has already started and many listed buildings have started exploring installing new renewable technology to improve their energy use. A good example is Gloucester Cathedral, a grade 1 listed building, which has managed to install solar panels on its roof.
The Church is working with A Rocha to recognise achievement by church buildings and dioceses with Eco-Church awards at either bronze, silver or gold standard.
A new initiative the Church has developed is an energy rating tool for church buildings, which calculates the energy consumption of the parish church. It takes into account factors including the type of power the parish uses, whether they are on 'green' tariffs, the size of the building and usage.