Written answers

Thursday, 21 May 2020

  • Department for Transport

    • Cycling and Walking: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to work with road user groups to ensure that the sustainable transport strategy adopted by communities includes the increase...

  • Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    • Businesses: Government Assistance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Prime Minister's statement of 10 May 2020, what support the Government plans to provide to...

    • Small Businesses: Government Assistance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when Bristol City Council will receive guidance on the top up to local business grants scheme announced on 2 May 2020.

      Travel Agents: Repayments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that holidaymakers whose holiday was cancelled as a result of a change in Foreign...

      Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent steps the Government has taken to ensure that banks provide loans under the Coronavirus Business...

      Industrial Health and Safety: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in the event that businesses are unable to ensure the safety of their workers during the covid-19 outbreak, what steps...

      Tidal Lagoons Independent Review

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to publish the Government's response to the Hendry Review into tidal lagoon power; and if he will make an...

      Tidal Lagoons Independent Review

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's policies of the Hendry Review recommendation to...

      Tidal Lagoons Independent Review

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Hendry Review into tidal lagoon power, whether the Government plans to announce a programme to...

      Carbon Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what low carbon energy projects the Government is assessing to meet its net zero 2050 target.

      Employment: Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what guidance his Department is issuing to employers to prevent them from requiring disabled staff who are at a higher...

      Hospitality Industry: South Asia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the South Asian wedding industry in...

      Hospitality Industry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the wedding industry.

      Social Rented Housing: Construction

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing smart homes as part of development of social housing...

      Small Business Grants Fund: Operating Costs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 11 May 2020 to Question 43723 on Small Business Grants Fund: Coronavirus, what the (a)...

      Merchant Shipping: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that major employers of UK seafarers do not make staff redundant due to the covid-19...

      Agriculture: Migrant Workers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether it is his policy that workers from Romania brought to the UK by the Government to work in food production will...

      Research: Publishing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress has been made with the UK Research and Innovation consultation on the Open Access policy.

      Hydrogen: Technology

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to support the development of hydrogen technology to help decarbonise (a)...

      Climate Change

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to publish the proposed Nationally Determined Contribution for the UK; and if he will make a statement.

      Climate Change

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reasons the Government did not publish the proposed Nationally Determined Contribution for the UK in February...

      Wind Power: Welsh Government

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions has he had with ministers in the Welsh Government on the deployment of wooden wind turbines.

      Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Iron and Steel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2020 to Question 5366, when his Department plans to update its publications...

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    • Human Rights and Journalism: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to support (a) human rights defenders and (b) overseas journalists during the...

    • France: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he plans to update his covid-19 Exceptional Travel Advisory Notice for France.

      Slavery: Textiles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies on tackling modern slavery in the textile industry...

      Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2020 to Question 39744, on Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences, whether his Department’s...

      China: Borders

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Chinese counterparts on the Chinese Government’s use of so-called exit bans.

      China: Uighurs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Chinese Government on the humanitarian situation of the Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang Province.

  • Department of Health and Social Care

    • Coronavirus: Disease Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, during the covid-19 outbreak, whether he plans to issue further guidance on (a) self-isolation and (b) testing to UK nationals returning...

    • Coronavirus: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure available university resources are being used to develop tests for covid-19.

      Coronavirus: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the locations are of the 50 regional covid-19 test centres that are being created.

      NHS: Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS staff have undertaken additional training to support patients with respiratory needs since 31 January 2020.

      Coronavirus: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to (a) source clinically approved covid-19 tests from UK companies, (b) introduce a mechanism to allow those...

      Protective Clothing: Social Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department made of the adequacy of (a) the funding available and (b) supply levels of personal protective equipment...

      Social Services: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many covid-19 tests have been (a) requested and (b) completed for care workers on each day since 1 March 2020.

      Care Homes: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many covid-19 tests have been (a) requested and (b) completed for residents in care homes on each day since 1 March 2020.

      Health Services and Social Services: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on ensuring NHS and care staff are able to access covid-19 tests in Northern Ireland.

      Coronavirus: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to provide access to covid-19 testing for people in (a) South Leicestershire constituency and (b) England.

      NHS and Social Services: Protective Clothing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on ensuring that all (a) NHS and (b) social care staff are able to access covid-19 tests.

      Care Homes: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) all care home (i) staff and (ii) residents have access to testing and (b) testing...

      Coronavirus: Easington

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will identify a suitable site for a covid-19 testing centre accessible to people living in Easington constituency who do not have...

      Coronavirus: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to extend covid-19 testing to staff working for private health and care providers; and if he will make a statement.

      Coronavirus: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will include trade union officials on the list of workers that may be tested for covid-19.

      Coronavirus: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of tests for covid-19 have been conducted (a) at home and (b) by a drive-through testing centre in the last seven days.

      Sheltered Housing: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to test residents living in sheltered accommodation for covid-19.

      Coronavirus: Hospitals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have been admitted to hospital with covid-19 in the UK, by faith group.

      Coronavirus: Death

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people employed or volunteering in NHS hospitals who have died as the result of a covid-19 infection were working on (a)...

      Coronavirus: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government has changed the method by which it calculates the number of covid-19 tests carried out in a 24-hour period, since...

      Social Services: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that his Department's guidelines on testing for covid-19 are complied with in care settings.

      Coronavirus: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that covid-19 tests undertaken at home are not counted for statistical purposes both when...

      Fairways Care Home Chippenham: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with representatives of Public Health England about Fairways Care Home in Chippenham, Wiltshire; what steps...

      Health Professions: Registration

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the (a) Health and Care Professions Council and (b) Nursing and Midwifery Council on reducing the fees...

      NHS: Computer Software

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many times the ethics advisory board for the covid-19 Tracking App has met to date; who attended each of those meetings; and if he...

      Care Homes: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that testing methods for covid-19 in care homes take account of the specific needs of people with dementia.

      Care Homes: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of recommending the use of an oropharyngeal swab only for testing care home residents...

      Coronavirus: Autism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the long-term effect of the covid-19 lockdown on (a) mental and (b) physical health...

      Palliative Care: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking help ensure provision of end of life care by community-based palliative care teams during the...

      Coronavirus: Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect of long-term social distancing measures on disabled people and their families; and what...

      Doctors: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to waive General Medical Council registration fees for doctors that are working in response to the covid-19...

      NHS: Cybercrime

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what resources the Government is committing to the NHS’s cyber security protocols as part of the Government's response to the...

      Hospices: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that children's hospices have an adequate supply of personal protective equipment during the covid-19...

      Coronavirus: Airports

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department are taking to introduce covid-19 testing at airports for passengers on incoming flights.

      Social Services: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that people with personal care budgets who are making direct payments are (a) receiving personal...

      Coronavirus: Disease Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had on the appointment of Serco to oversee manual covid-19 contact tracing; what assessment he has made of the...

      Coronavirus: Disease Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how the covid-19 alert system will be communicated to people (a) who are digitally excluded, (b) without TV licences and (c) in areas...

      Voluntary Work: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to enable voluntary and community sector partners to recruit volunteers from the NHS Volunteer Responders list.

      NHS: Computer Software

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether people will have the right to access and erase data submitted through the covid-19 contact tracing app.

      NHS: Computer Software

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the NHS covid-19 contact tracing app, what consultation the Government has had with the Information Commissioner before...

      NHS: Voluntary Work

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of people that offered to become NHS Volunteer Responders have been (a) vetted and accepted as volunteers...

      Coronavirus: Disease Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the evidential basis for the decision to stop testing and tracking the contacts of people who potentially had covid-19...

      Care Homes: Dementia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to issue guidance to care homes on allowing visitors to care home residents with dementia.

      NHSX: Computer Software

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2020 to Question 41449 on NHS: Computer Software, whether data that will remain under the control of the...

      Care Homes: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the (a) guidance issued to care homes in relation to the covid-19 outbreak since the start of 2020 and (b) the dates...

      Rett UK: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he will make an assessment of the potential merits of allocating funding to Rett UK to enable it to maintain the provision of...

      NHS: Agency Workers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that registered NHS agency workers are being deployed to help tackle the covid-19 outbreak.

      Care Homes: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of 1 May 2020 to Question 38948 whether it remains Government policy that patients who have tested positive...

      Care Homes: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 11 May 2020 to Question 38554 on Care Homes: Coronavirus, what data he holds on the number of patients who have...

      Disability: Day Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that specialist daycare facilities for the mentally handicapped and disabled are considered...

      Abortion

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that women and girls seeking abortion under the March 2020 regulations to enable at-home abortions...

      NHS: Recruitment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2020 to Question 43117 on NHS: Recruitment, whether there is a turnaround target time for applicants to...

      Care Homes: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies on care homes of the London School of Economics Care Policy and...

      NHS Trusts: Email

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure implementation of the DMARC email authentication system by all NHS Trusts.

      NHS and Social Services: Uniforms

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that NHS and social care staff do not wear their uniforms in the community.

      Care Homes: Dementia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to issue guidance to care homes on safe visitation guidance to ensure that people with dementia can retain cognitive and...

      Care Homes: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made for the implications for his policy on the personal protective equipment (PPE) to care homes of the...

      Health and Social Services: Conditions of Employment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the £60,000 death-in-service lump sum payment in respect of covid-19 will be available to the families of contract workers...

      NHSX: Computer Software

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which private companies were involved in the development of the NHSX contact tracing app and what role did each of those companies play.

  • Department for Education

    • Students: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what (a) support and (b) guidance he is providing to students who have returned home from university during the covid-19 lockdown and are being...

    • Free School Meals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government plans to extend free school meal provision into the (a) spring half-term and and (b) summer holidays.

      Children: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he place in the Library the Government guidance issued to schools on what support schools must provide to children who come from families without...

      Children: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that children’s mental health and wellbeing will be supported when they return to school as the covid-19...

      Educational: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has he made of the potential merits of respite care for families with vulnerable children on the educational development of those children.

  • Department for International Trade

    • Fossil Fuels: Argentina

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the value was of export credits awarded to oil, gas and fracking projects in Argentina in each of the last 10 years.

    • Trade: Disease Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the relationship between (a) free trade, (b) porous borders and (c) the spread of highly contagious pandemics.

      Exports: Worcestershire

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department is taking to support exporters in (a) Worcestershire (b) Bromsgrove constituency.

  • Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

    • Local Government: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on the (a) format of support through grants and loans and...

    • High Rise Flats: Fire Extinguishers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the building regulations requirement that new buildings over 11 meters are fitted with sprinklers,...

      Empty Property: Council Tax

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of issuing guidance for local authorities on the use...

      Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his department will be issuing definitive guidance for introducing controlled viewings and conveyancing in the...

      Hospitality Industry: Small Businesses

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to support small and medium-sized businesses operating in the wedding industry sector during...

      Arts: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will extend the same protections that are in place for tenants of commercial properties to artists facing...

      Local Enterprise Partnerships: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to clarify with local enterprise partnerships the level of funding that they will receive to...

      Housing: Students

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that university accommodation and student accommodation landlords whose properties...

  • Ministry of Defence

    • Animal Experiments: Porton Down

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, further to Answer of 13 May 2020 to Question 43761, on Animal Experiments: Porton Down, for what reasons infant marmosets are not reared on site prior...

    • Sentinel Aircraft

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in which (a) conventional and (b) counterinsurgency campaigns Sentinel aircraft have seen action since their entry into service; what the original...

      Veterans: Suicide

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the number of veterans who have died from suicide in the (a) most recent year for which information is...

      Armed Forces: Charities

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish his Department’s plan to support armed forces charities during the covid-19 outbreak.

      Ministry of Defence: Chief Scientific Advisers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many meetings he had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser (a) from 1 September to 30 November 2019 and (b) from 1 December 2019 to...

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Universal Credit: Wales

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have submitted claims for universal credit in Wales from 23 March 2020 by local authority area.

    • Social Security Benefits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to introduce an escalation route for complex benefits cases referred to her Department by Macmillan Cancer Support and...

      Industrial Health and Safety: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the capability of the Health and Safety Executive to discharge its responsibilities during the covid-19...

      Universal Credit: Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many disabled people have made new claims for universal credit since 23 March 2020.

      Universal Credit: Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many disabled people are (a) in receipt of universal credit, (b) have received the coronavirus uplift to universal credit and (c) are in...

      Universal Credit: Tees Valley

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many new universal credit claimants there were in each of the five local authority areas within the Tees Valley in each of the last three...

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Dogs: Imports

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many vehicles transporting dogs have entered the UK under the Balai Directive in each month from February 2019 to April 2020.

    • Veterinary Services: Cost Effectiveness

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the value for money of out-of-hours veterinary care.

      Wildlife: Smuggling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what reports he has received on the increase in (a) the international trade in tigers and tiger body parts and (b) captive...

      Food: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to maintain supply chains for independent, small food retailers during the covid-19 outbreak.

      Food: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that produce delivered to clinically extremely vulnerable people is healthy and nutritious.

  • Home Office

    • Asylum: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that access to (a) WiFi, (b) smartphones and (c) other digital devices are provided for asylum...

    • Immigration Controls: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the evidence provided to the Science and Technology Committee on 13 March, on what date advice from scientific modellers...

      Fingerprints: Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the effect on the ability of police to identify criminals following the European Parliament’s...

  • Treasury

    • Self-employment Income Support Scheme: Immigrants

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether self-employed people who have No Recourse To Public Funds as an immigration condition are able to apply for the Self-employed Income Support Scheme.

    • Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Directors

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that company directors who receive part of their income through an salary paid annually are eligible for the Coronavirus...

      Tax Yields: Coronavirus

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment has he made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the composition of tax receipts for the period of the covid-19 outbreak in...

      Fuels: Excise Duties

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 11 May 2020 to Question 42938 on Fuels: Excise Duties, what estimate he has made of the number of SMEs that would benefit from a...

      Public Houses: Coronavirus

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to ensure that pub tenants are supported in meeting rent obligations and other payments to their landlords whilst they are unable to...

      Self-employment Income Support Scheme: Maternity Leave

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide financial support to self-employed mothers whose average earnings will be less as a result of taking maternity leave during the...

      Self-employment Income Support Scheme

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his statement of 12 May 2020 on Covid-19: Economic Package announcing his extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to the end of...

      British Airways: Redundancy

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department has taken to encourage the International Airlines Group to make use of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help prevent...

      Paye

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answers of 11 May 2020 to Questions 41104 and 41109, when HMRC will make that data available on PAYE in relation to employees that started...

      Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that sole employees and directors of limited companies are not negatively affected by requirements that businesses will...

      Self-employed: Coronavirus

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to calculate levels of covid-19 related grants to the self-employed on the basis of turnover rather than profits.

      Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Non-departmental Public Bodies

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme rules allow (a) agencies, (b) the BBC and (c) other quasi non-governmental organisations to furlough their staff.

      Stamp Duties: Reform

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of reforming Stamp Duty.

      Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of trends in the proportion of (a) disabled and (b) non-disabled employees who have been furloughed under the Coronavirus Job...

      Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: South Glamorgan

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have received support through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme in (a) Cardiff and (b) Vale of Glamorgan in each week since that scheme...

      Pay: Coronavirus

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) furloughed workers who are usually paid (i) variable salaries and (ii) tronc and (b) other furloughed workers...

      Arts: Coronavirus

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on the financial support that is required to assist people...

      Self-employment Income Support Scheme

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to extend the Self Employed Income Support Scheme to (a) newly self employed and (b) new start-ups and enable qualification...

      Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will issue guidance on the definition of (a) discretionary commissions and (b) bonuses for people employed by umbrella companies in relation to...

      Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to enable umbrella companies to apply for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

      Travel: Coronavirus

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of whether additional financial support is required by the travel industry due to the covid-19 outbreak.

      Taxation: Self-assessment

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that people without access to the internet in their home are not excluded from accessing and completing their tax return...

      Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to allow access to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for businesses where HMRC had not received the necessary Real Time Information...

      Seasonal Workers: Coronavirus

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has plans to provide bespoke (a) grants or (b) loans to self-employed seasonal workers in the (i) creative, (ii) hospitality and (iii) tourism...

      Self-employment Income Support Scheme

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of people who are ineligible for assistance from the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme due to their public...

      Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether people that are shielding are entitled to be furloughed by employers after 16 April 202 under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme instead of...

      Agency Workers: Coronavirus

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will review the Government's financial support packages for agency workers who (a) are unable to access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, (b)...

  • Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

    • Coronavirus: Government Assistance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Government support packages made available for charities, the tech sector and rugby league, whether the...

    • Football: Gambling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has had recent discussions with football authorities on the involvement of gambling companies in the streaming of...

      Gambling: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to tackle the increase in gambling on online casino games since the covid-19 lockdown.

      Visual Arts: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of covid-19 outbreak on the income of self-employed visual artists.

      Musicians: Economic Situation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential economic effect on UK musicians of leaving the transitional period without an...

      Social Media: Members

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate his Department has made of the number of incidences of abuse directed at hon. Members on social media from (a)...

      Sports: Video Games

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent meetings he has had with representatives of esports; and what the outcome was of those meetings.

      Darts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent meetings he has had with representatives of darts organisations; and what the outcome was of those meetings.

      Newcastle United Football Club

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what meetings he has had on the proposed purchase of Newcastle United Football Club by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment...

  • Department for Transport

    • Ferries: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the measures in place to protect ferry services across the UK from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

    • Aviation: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures have been put in place to protect the safety of passengers (1) travelling to airports, (2) in airports, and (3) on aircraft.

      Airlines: Economic Situation

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the resilience, and (2) the financial situation, of airlines which operate in the UK.

      Transport: Northern Ireland

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of COVID-19 on connectivity between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

      Travel: Northern Ireland

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what support is available to UK residents seeking to travel between Northern Ireland and Great Britain during the COVID-19 pandemic.

      Public Transport: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that public transport services are expanded to take account of their recommendation that employers stagger working hours to reduce...

      Airlines: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government which airlines have applied for financial help in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; and for each such airline to give (1) the amount of financial support...

      Ryanair: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by Ryanair that it may take up to six months for customers to receive a refund for flights aborted as a result of the COVID-19...

      Travel Agents: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they provide on the steps to take to reclaim the cost of cancelled flights made through a travel agency in instances where the airline has...

      Motor Vehicles: Testing

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to backdate the six months extension period for vehicle MOT tests to 23 March.

  • Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    • Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to expand the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies to include (1) immunologists, and (2) experts on large scale logistics.

    • Utilities: Billing

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that households unable to pay utility bills will not face disconnection from their utilities for non-payment between 1 October 2020...

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    • Coronavirus: International Cooperation

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent diplomatic steps they have taken with overseas counterparts to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

    • Syria: Sanctions

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of international sanctions on the rise in food prices in Syria over one year.

      Coronavirus: Disease Control

      To ask Her Majesty's Government on which dates they discussed ways in which to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic with overseas counterparts.

      China: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) reports that COVID-19 originated in a laboratory in China; (2) the response by the government of China to the initial...

      North Korea: South Korea

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the armed forces of North Korea and South Korea exchanged gunfire in the Demilitarised Zone on 3 May.

      Pakistan: Ahmadiyya

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan to end discrimination and persecution of Ahmadis.

  • Department for Education

    • Universities: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the success of individual universities in maintaining student courses and contact during the lockdown.

    • Apprentices: Finance

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure sustainable funding for the apprenticeship sector in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Institute for Apprenticeships and...

      Supermarkets: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government which supermarkets are participating in the COVID-19 national voucher scheme for children eligible for free school meals; and what the eligibility criteria are for...

      Eleven Plus: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the continuation of 11-plus exams in state schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • The Senior Deputy Speaker

    • House of Lords: Costs

      To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what is the total annual cost of employment for each member excepted from the 20 July 2010 resolution on allowances in the House, by virtue of being salaried,...

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Universal Credit

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many households with children are currently receiving Universal Credit as well as legacy benefits; and what proportion of those cannot fully benefit from the...

    • Children: Housing

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children in families receiving housing benefit or the Universal Credit housing costs element share a bedroom with a sibling or parent.

      Social Security Benefits

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many households currently have had their Housing Benefit or Universal Credit housing costs element reduced by (1) 14 per cent of the ‘eligible...

      Industrial Health and Safety: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what extra resources they plan to provide to (1) the Health and Safety Executive, and (2) local councils, to ensure that any responsibilities to...

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Recycling

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the impact of the temporary closure of recycling companies on waste disposal authorities, and (2) the ability of those...

    • Agriculture: Subsidies

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reform the three crop rule in agriculture as part of the UK's withdrawal from the EU; and what plans they have to inform the farming...

      National Parks: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what targeted, support they are making available to businesses in National Parks both during and after the lockdown.

      Environment Protection: British Overseas Territories

      To ask Her Majesty's Government when the results of the Darwin Plus projects whose initial applications were submitted between May and July 2019 will be announced; and whether the allocation of...

  • Cabinet Office

    • Coronavirus: Disease Control

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the announcement of the lockdown on 23 March, between which dates was the letter and enclosed leaflet from the Prime Minister updating recipients on the...

    • Jainism: Census

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they gave to including Jainism as a religion in the 2021 census.

      Cabinet Office: Directors

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the appointment on 12 May of four Non-Executive Directors to the Cabinet Office was subject to the requirements of (1) the Ministerial Code, and (2) Civil...

  • Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

    • Culture and Mass Media: Finance

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial support being provided to the cultural, creative and media sectors in Germany; what plans they have, if any, to...

  • Ministry of Justice

    • *No heading*

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 4 May (HL3394), whether any prisoners have yet been tested for COVID-19; when they expect testing will begin in a...

    • Prison Visitors

      To ask Her Majesty's Government when they estimate they will permit family visits to prisoners to resume.

      Family Proceedings: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of remote private and public family law proceedings in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic

      Coronavirus: Disease Control

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to issue electronic bracelets to people breaking quarantine restrictions in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

  • Women and Equalities

    • Equal Pay

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of employers which can provide the gender pay gap data for the 2019–20 reporting year now.

What is this?

The parliamentary question is a great way for MPs and Peers to discover information which the government may not wish to reveal. Ministers reply via written answers, a list of which gets published daily.

We let you vote on whether or not the answer given is adequate.

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