Stuart Andrew: ...future about our plans for planning, but the hon. Lady is right to talk about that whole aspect of it. My hon. Friend the Minister for Levelling Up Communities, the hon. Member for Saffron Walden (Kemi Badenoch) has just assured me that all equality issues are looked at in this area.
Kemi Badenoch: As I mentioned before, this year’s local government finance settlement makes available £54.1 billion for councils in England—an increase of £3.7 billion on last year’s settlement—to ensure that councils have the resources that they need to deliver key services. That includes more than £1 billion for councils to meet social care pressures, and a new un-ringfenced 2022-23 services...
Presentation and First Reading ( Standing Order No. 57) Secretary Michael Gove, supported by the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Secretary Kemi Badenoch, Oliver Dowden, Jeremy Quin, Victoria Atkins and Lee Rowley, presented a Bill to make provision about non-domestic rating. Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time tomorrow and to be printed (Bill 285) with...
Kemi Badenoch: Treasury Ministers and officials meet with a wide range of stakeholders across sectors as part of ongoing policy development and implementation. Ministers and officials from the Department for Transport are in regular contact with airlines, airports and unions to understand the impact that COVID-19 is having on the sector and its workers. Due to commercial sensitivity, the Government...
Kemi Badenoch: The latest ONS official statistics show the female employment rate at 71.8% up to the end of January 2021. This Government recognises that times are hard for many women, and men, which is why we have extended the furlough scheme until September, alongside new measures in our Plan for Jobs, such as our £2bn Kickstart Scheme and the Restart programme, which launches in the summer.
Kemi Badenoch: The £1.5 billion fund will be allocated to local authorities based on the stock of properties in the area whose sectors have been affected by COVID-19 and are ineligible for existing support linked to business rates. My Department will publish guidance to help local authorities set up their local schemes once the legislation relating to COVID-19 Material Change of Circumstances provisions...
Kemi Badenoch: Does my right hon. Friend agree that short-term investment is only a bandage and a fresh overhaul is needed due to the permanently declining facilities? Does he also agree that given how many of my constituents use the Princess Alexandra, the three new garden communities that are being planned mean that we need a huge influx of investment for infrastructure in our area?
Kemi Badenoch: The government is committed to establishing the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) which will play an important role in upholding environmental standards and helping fulfil the government’s ambition to be the first generation to the leave the environment in a better condition than we inherited it. Sufficient funding will be made available to enable it to fulfil its statutory advice,...
Kemi Badenoch: On 18th May 2020 HMRC confirmed the publication date for Statistics of Government revenues from UK Oil and Gas Production as 23rd July 2020 on the official Government website (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schedule-of-update s-for-hmrcs-statistics). A direct link to HMRC’s announcement is provided below: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/...
Kemi Badenoch: Any companies seeking support must have exhausted all other options before being considered, and any support given will be on terms that protect the taxpayer, with existing lenders and shareholders expected to contribute to and share in the financial burden. Companies seeking such support would need to agree to appropriate conditions – including those relating to tax, supplier payment...
Kemi Badenoch: The Government are supporting the development of the early fuel cell electric vehicle market through the £23 million hydrogen for transport programme. The spending review confirmed an automotive transformation fund to help industry transition to low-carbon vehicles. At the spending review, the Chancellor also announced £240 million over the next four years to support the aim of 5 GW of...
Kemi Badenoch: In the “Statement of funding policy” published in November 2015, the comparability factor for Central Libraries was 100%. However, where UK government programmes provide services across the UK, the comparability factor should in principle be 0%. As it is absolutely clear that the legal extent of the British Library is the United Kingdom, it is right that the comparability factor for...
Kemi Badenoch: Members of Parliament have written to HM Treasury 36,791 times between 1 April 2020 and 24 March 2021. This represents a sharp increase on 2019, whereby Members of Parliament wrote to HM Treasury 7,386 times. Of the 36,791 pieces of written correspondence, 26,709 have been responded to and 6,584 have been transferred to other Government departments to answer. The remaining pieces of...
Kemi Badenoch: This Government supports inclusive workplaces and believes that all LGBT people should be able to be themselves at work, so that they can do their best and achieve their full potential. It is fundamental that everyone is able to seize opportunities in the workplace without fear of discrimination or harassment. Memberships of external schemes are kept under review, to ensure value for...
Kemi Badenoch: In March, the Government announced that it will legislate to require that self-catering accommodation meets an actual lettings threshold before being assessed for business rates. Since then, my Department has been working with Treasury and the Valuation Office Agency to finalise the details of how and when this will be implemented. We will set out further details shortly in the Government’s...
Kemi Badenoch: The Government’s guidance to councils makes clear that payments should be made to the liable council tax payer, who in most cases is the occupant rather than the owner of a property. Councils will also receive funding to provide discretionary support to households who are not eligible for automatic payments, for example those where the energy bill payer is not the council tax payer.
Kemi Badenoch: Students that were living in a property in council tax bands A – D on 1 April 2022 are eligible for the main council tax rebate, aside from those living in student halls. Any student that is impacted by rising energy costs can apply to their local council for discretionary support. My Department does not hold data on the characteristics of households benefiting from discretionary support.
Kemi Badenoch: Despite being exempt from council tax, student households living in eligible properties should receive the council tax rebate in the same way as other households that do not pay council tax by direct debit. My department has issued guidance and FAQs on the delivery of the rebate and has discussed the particular issues related to student households with councils that have large student populations.
Kemi Badenoch: Yes, I agree. The purpose of this SI is to provide clarity. The law has not really been updated since 2011. We need more frequent updates to ensure we keep up with what is happening in this space. In answer to earlier questions about the availability of the SI, it was tabled at 12 noon. I am sorry that it was not ready for Members.
Kemi Badenoch: The Government has already announced a range of measures to support all businesses, including roll-on roll-off ferry operators. In addition, on 24 April Government committed to keeping freight flowing on routes into and across the UK. Following engagement with operators, DfT has awarded contracts for 16 routes with 6 operators, worth an estimated £34m over 2 months. DfT will publish regular...
