Asked by: Lord Goodman of Wycombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to the transparency data COVID-19 loan guarantee schemes repayment data: March 2025, published on 6 June, what proportion by value of total guarantee claims made by lenders relate explicitly to suspected fraud loss as opposed to credit loss.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As at 31 March £10.86bn (23.3% by value) has been settled under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) Government-backed guarantee.
The proportion (by value) of total guarantee claims made by lenders relating explicitly to suspected fraud loss is:
- BBLS: 5.53%
- Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme: 2.61%
- Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme: 0% (none)
Asked by: Lord Goodman of Wycombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to HM Treasury: 2023 COVID-19 Cost Tracker update, published 20 July 2023, whether they will provide a breakdown of the £258 million estimated lifetime cost of the administration of the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme, Recovery Loan Scheme and the Future Fund (ID421), including how much of this expenditure has been incurred to date, and how they expect the remaining expenditure to be allocated.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
It is not possible to provide a breakdown of the original £258 million estimated lifetime cost of the administration of the Covid Support Schemes. This figure was previously provided by former BEIS prior to 2023 Machinery of Government changes. An assessment of the breakdown would require exceeding the advisory cost limit or “disproportionate cost threshold” for the Department. As a result, it is also not possible to provide an estimate of the expenditure occurred to date, and the expected remaining expenditure to be allocated, based on previous modelling.
Asked by: Lord Goodman of Wycombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to the transparency data COVID-19 loan guarantee schemes repayment data: March 2025, published on 6 June, what is the total fraud loss rate as a percentage of total lending for each of the COVID-19 loan guarantee schemes; and how those rates compare to the amounts flagged as suspected fraud by lenders.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The total fraud loss rate (by value) as a percentage of total lending for each of the COVID-19 loan guarantee schemes:
Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS): 3.36%
Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS): 0.09%
Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS): 0% (none)
Total flagged as suspected fraud by lenders (by value) as a percentage of total lending for each of the COVID-19 loan guarantee schemes:
BBLS: 4.05%
CBILS: 0.22%
CLBILS: 0% (none)
Asked by: Lord Goodman of Wycombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to HM Treasury: 2023 COVID-19 Cost Tracker update, published 20 July 2023, what is the current status of the measure 'last resort business interventions' (ID31); whether the £30 million loan issued to Celsa Steel (UK) under that measure has been fully repaid, partially repaid, written off, or otherwise resolved; and what is the final outturn lifetime cost of that intervention.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I can confirm that the £30m loan to Celsa Steel UK was fully repaid in 2023 with interest and in line with the Government’s terms and conditions. A written ministerial statement was made to Parliament on 23 June 2023 on the matter: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2023-06-26/hcws879.
Asked by: Lord Goodman of Wycombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government when the British Bank Business last underwent a board effectiveness review, and whether they will place a copy of that review in the Library of the House.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The British Business Bank reviews its board in accordance with the Cabinet Office guidance on Board Effectiveness Reviews, which includes an annual review that is externally facilitated every three years. The findings are included in BBB's Annual Report and Accounts, with a copy placed in the Library of the House. The most recent review was carried out in March 2025 and will be reported in BBB's 2025 Annual Report and Accounts, due for publication later in 2025.
Asked by: Lord Goodman of Wycombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to the guidance List of Public Bodies for Review in 2023/24, updated on 25 April 2024, whether a reviewer has been appointed for the review of the British Business Bank; and if so, who is that reviewer, what are the terms of reference for that review, and what is the current status of that review.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Under the Cabinet Office review framework, a self-assessment was completed by the Bank and reviewed by the Department for Business and Trade. This did not require a reviewer to be appointed nor specific terms of reference (beyond the self-assessment guidance). The broader Public Bodies Review Programme concluded on 31 March 2025.
Asked by: Lord Goodman of Wycombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce legislation to give employment tribunals jurisdiction to apply set-off principles in an unauthorised deduction from wages claim under Part II of the Employment Rights Act 1996, limited to established liabilities for quantified amounts and to extinguishing the Part II claim, as recommended by the Law Commission
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government continues to look closely at these important issues. While we have noted the recommendations of the Law Commission, any decision to change current procedures must fully consider the impact this will have on the tribunal system, which remains under pressure, as well as the effect on Acas, who are responsible for conducting early conciliation.
Asked by: Lord Goodman of Wycombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to ensure that the maximum award applying to Employment Tribunal claims brought under the Employment Relations Act 1999 (Blacklists) Regulations 2010 is at least increased to, and maintained at, the level of the maximum award for unfair dismissal under section 124(1ZA) of the Employment Rights Act 1996, as recommended by the Law Commission.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government continues to look closely at these important issues. While we have noted the recommendations of the Law Commission, any decision to change current procedures must fully consider the impact this will have on the tribunal system, which remains under pressure, as well as the effect on Acas, who are responsible for conducting early conciliation.
Asked by: Lord Goodman of Wycombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce legislation to provide employment tribunals with the power to determine whether an employer has deducted the correct amount of money from an employee’s or worker’s wages where a Tribunal finds that one or more of the “excepted deductions” listed in section 14(1) to 14(6) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 apply.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government continues to look closely at these important issues. While we have noted the recommendations of the Law Commission, any decision to change current procedures must fully consider the impact this will have on the tribunal system, which remains under pressure, as well as the effect on Acas, who are responsible for conducting early conciliation.
Asked by: Lord Goodman of Wycombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce legislation to give employment tribunals jurisdiction to hear complaints by workers that they are working hours in excess of the maximum working time limits contained in regulations 4(1), 5A(1), 6(1) and 6A of the Working Time Regulations 1998.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government continues to look closely at these important issues. While we have noted the recommendations of the Law Commission, any decision to change current procedures must fully consider the impact this will have on the tribunal system, which remains under pressure, as well as the effect on Acas, who are responsible for conducting early conciliation.