Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what support his Department made available for hairdressers in response to business disruptions as a result of the omicron variant of covid-19.
Answered by Paul Scully
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Batley and Spen on 27 January 2022 to Question 110644.
While the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant focused on sectors where social mixing was a primary motivation for consumers, Local Authorities were encouraged to support the personal care sector through the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) scheme. Local Authorities reported that close to 750,000 payments of ARG, worth a total of over £2 billion, had been made to businesses by 31 March 2022, the scheme closure date.
The additional measures announced on 21 December 2021 reinforced the existing package of wider Government support.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reason hairdressers were not included in the additional grant for hospitality and leisure businesses impacted by the covid-19 omicron variant over the 2021-22 winter period.
Answered by Paul Scully
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Batley and Spen on 27 January 2022 to Question 110644.
While the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant focused on sectors where social mixing was a primary motivation for consumers, Local Authorities were encouraged to support the personal care sector through the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) scheme. Local Authorities reported that close to 750,000 payments of ARG, worth a total of over £2 billion, had been made to businesses by 31 March 2022, the scheme closure date.
The additional measures announced on 21 December 2021 reinforced the existing package of wider Government support.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial support the Government has put in place for beauty salons affected by Plan B covid-19 restrictions.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In December, Government announced a generous £1 billion package of support for business and their employees to help them manage the effects of the rapid surge of Omicron and bounce back quickly.
The Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant scheme, announced on 21 December, is intended to provide targeted support for the food and beverage, accommodation and leisure sectors which offer in-person services. This action was taken to support businesses impacted by the Omicron variant, which led to the public voluntarily restricting their social mixing and reports that many businesses in these sectors had lost 40-60% of their December trade. Personal Care services are not eligible for this scheme.
However, in recognition that other businesses outside the scope of this grant may have been impacted, local authorities in England also received a top-up worth a total of £102 million to their Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) fund. Distribution of ARG funds is at the local authority's discretion.
Due to the balanced and proportionate approach taken by the Government in response to the Omicron variant, Cabinet has decided to return to Plan A in England.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to provide grant support to people working in the hair and beauty industry.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In December we announced a generous £1bn package of support for business and their employees to help them manage the effects of the rapid surge of Omicron. This includes a £102m top-up to the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG), a discretionary fund delivered by local authorities in England. This is in addition to the £250m of ARG which local authorities report is left over from previous allocations. This scheme is open until 31 March 2022 and I encourage people and businesses impacted by the Omicron variant to contact their local authority.
The Government also continues to support small businesses through the VAT threshold, currently higher than any EU member state.
For those on low income whose earnings continue to be affected by Covid-19 restrictions, work coaches will continue to be able to suspend the Universal Credit Minimum Income Floor on an individual basis for up to six months.
Thanks to our decisive action to implement balanced and proportionate measures in response to the Omicron variant, Cabinet has decided to return to Plan A in England.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason businesses in the personal care industry are not included as recipients of financial support grants for businesses affected by the omicron variant; and what steps his Department is taking to support that industry.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
As a result of the Omicron variant, hospitality and leisure businesses saw significant numbers of cancellations and reduced footfall throughout their peak trading period around Christmas. The aim of the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant is to support businesses offering in-person services, where social mixing is the primary motivation for their customers.
However, the Government also recognises that other businesses, including in the personal care industry, may also have been impacted by the Omicron variant. That is why we have provided an extra £102 million of discretionary funding through the Additional Restrictions Grant, on top of the £250 million that local authorities have left from previous allocations.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2021 to Question 79399 on Coronavirus: Protective Clothing, which four contracts for personal protective equipment referred through the high priority lane were subject to the eight stage assurance process.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
There were 111 contracts for personal protective equipment (PPE) awarded to 50 suppliers referred through the high priority lane. Some suppliers were awarded more than one contract.
In our previous response of 25 November, we stated that 46 of these contracts were awarded before the introduction of a central clearance board on 4 May 2020. The central clearance board examined individual contracts which were being agreed. Sixty five contracts were awarded to suppliers after this date. The suppliers and the number of contracts awarded to each supplier is shown in the following table.
Supplier | Number of contracts awarded after 4 May 2020 |
Meller Designs | 5 |
Aiya Technology Hk Limited | 3 |
KPM Marine | 1 |
MDS Healthcare | 2 |
P1F Limited | 7 |
Pestfix | 2 |
Aventis Solutions Ltd | 1 |
Cargo Services Far East | 3 |
URATHON EUROPE LTD | 2 |
Unispace Global Ltd | 5 |
Universal Solutions Trading Limited | 3 |
Uniserve | 2 |
Pakan Medical | 2 |
Headwind China Ltd | 1 |
Monarch Acoustics Limited | 1 |
Invisio Pharmaceuticals | 2 |
New Asia Logistic Services Pte Ltd | 1 |
P14 Medical | 1 |
Blueleaf Care | 1 |
Ideal Medical Solutions | 1 |
SG Recruitment | 1 |
Skinny Dip | 1 |
PPE Medpro Limited | 2 |
Brandology | 2 |
Worldlink Resources Limited | 1 |
Summit Medical Ltd | 1 |
Wuhan Xiaoyaoyao Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd | 1 |
Maxima Markets Limited | 1 |
Eyespace Eyewear Limited | 1 |
Mayfair Global (UK) Ltd | 1 |
The Paper Drinking Straw Co Ltd. | 1 |
Hotel Logistics Ltd | 2 |
GBUK LTD | 1 |
CCS McClays | 1 |
Regal Polythene | 1 |
Medicom | 1 |
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the efficacy of the evidential basis for guidance on frequently replacing newspapers and magazines in section 5.2 of his Department’s close contact services guidance entitled, Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19) for England at the same time as evidence for lifting legal covid-19 restrictions is reviewed.
Answered by Paul Scully
We continue to keep the guidance for working safely during COVID-19 in close contact services under constant review. Guidance will be updated in advance of step 4.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to review his Department's guidance for close contact services in England entitled Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19), updated on 18 May 2021, that reading materials are replaced frequently; and whether that guidance will be updated when step 4 of the covid-19 roadmap is implemented.
Answered by Paul Scully
We continue to keep the guidance for working safely during COVID-19 in close contact services under constant review. Guidance will be updated in advance of step 4.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reasons mental health services were excluded from personal care businesses for the eligibility criteria of the Re-Start Grant.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Restart Grant scheme aims to support businesses in their local economies to reopen as coronavirus restrictions are eased across the country. Mental health services are out of scope for this scheme as they were not mandated to close during the January Lockdown due to the services they provide being essential to the public.
However, further funding has been made available via the Additional Restrictions Grant to support those businesses that have had their trade adversely affected by the local and national restrictions.
The Additional Restrictions Grant is a discretionary fund and is also administered by Local Authorities to support businesses in the way they see fit. Local Authorities in England have been allocated £2bn in additional funding to provide support that best suits their area.
Businesses should consult their Local Authority to determine whether they might be eligible for Additional Restrictions Grant support.
Asked by: Ian Mearns (Labour - Gateshead)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care's Answer of 15 April 2021 to Question 179033, on Coronavirus: Gyms, whether his Department has plans to introduce incentives similar to the Eat out to help out scheme for gyms and fitness facilities.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Government recognises the significant disruption the necessary actions to combat Covid-19 are having on sectors like the fitness industry.
During this difficult time the Treasury is working intensively with employers, delivery partners, industry groups and other government departments to understand the long-term effects of social distancing across all key areas of the economy.
The Chancellor has already announced unprecedented support for individuals and businesses, to protect against the current economic emergency. By the end of March 2021, the Government made up to £20 billion available for business grants. At Budget 2021, the Government announced a further £5 billion of business grant support, including the Restart Grants Scheme, in which hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym business premises in England will be eligible for grants up to £18,000, subject to their rateable value. The Restart Grants will replace the monthly Local Restrictions Support Grant and Local Restrictions Support Grant, which both closed at the end of March.
There are no current plans to introduce incentives like the Eat Out to Help Out scheme for gyms and fitness facilities. We will continue to monitor the impact of government support on public services, businesses, individuals and sectors, including the leisure, gyms and fitness sector, as we respond to this pandemic, and keep all policies under review.