Asked by: Lord Harper (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 12 July 2021 to Question 28995 on Ministers: Conduct, whether he (a) consulted the Cabinet Secretary on and (b) made an assessment of the potential merits of further investigation into the matters which led to the resignation of the former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on 26 June 2021.
Answered by Boris Johnson
I refer my Rt Hon Friend to my previous answer. Paragraph 1.4 of the Ministerial Code sets out the process for investigating alleged breaches of the Code.
Asked by: Lord Harper (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraph 18 of Covid-19 response: summer 2021, what his policy is on guidance to the civil service on working from home or returning to the office.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The Prime Minister has set out the arrangements that will be in place in England once we move to Step Four of the Government roadmap. It will no longer be necessary for the government to instruct people to work from home and so employers, including the Civil Service, will be able to support the safe return to the workplace. The safe return of more civil servants to the workplace will be enacted by departments in line with updated Safer Working guidance from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and guidance from the Health and Safety Executive. This includes guidance for ventilation.
Asked by: Lord Harper (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraph 35 of Covid-19 Response: Summer 2021, published on 5 July 2021, if he will publish his contingency plans for reimposing economic and social restrictions at a (a) local, (b) regional and (c) national level.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
In September, the Government will undertake a review to assess the country’s preparedness for autumn and winter, which will consider whether to continue or strengthen public and business guidance as we approach the winter, including on face coverings and test, trace and isolate, and will review the remaining regulations.
The Government will maintain contingency plans for reimposing economic and social restrictions at a local, regional or national level if evidence suggests they are necessary to suppress or manage a dangerous variant. Such measures would only be re-introduced as a last resort to prevent unsustainable pressure on the NHS.
Asked by: Lord Harper (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraph 36 of his Department's guidance, Covid-19 Response: Summer 2021, published on 5 July 2021, whether his definition of appropriate parliamentary scrutiny of the matter of potential covid-status certification would include a vote by the House of Commons prior to any such certification being implemented.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
The COVID-status certification review has concluded that, although certification is not required at the present time, it could be a useful tool in the future as a means of keeping events going and businesses open if the country is facing a difficult situation in autumn or winter.
Any future implementation of certification would involve consultation and appropriate parliamentary scrutiny.
No policy decisions have been taken at this time.
Asked by: Lord Harper (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraph 36 of Covid-19 Response: Summer 2021, published on 5 July 2021, whether appropriate Parliamentary scrutiny will include a vote by the House before the implementation of the proposals set out in paragraph 36.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
The COVID-status certification review has concluded that, although certification is not required at the present time, it could be a useful tool in the future as a means of keeping events going and businesses open if the country is facing a difficult situation in autumn or winter.
Any future implementation of certification would involve consultation and appropriate parliamentary scrutiny.
No policy decisions have been taken at this time.