Felicity Buchan Portrait

Felicity Buchan

Conservative - Former Member for Kensington

First elected: 12th December 2019

Left House: 30th May 2024 (Dissolution)


Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
28th Oct 2022 - 5th Jul 2024
Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
1st Dec 2022 - 30th May 2024
Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill
19th Jul 2023 - 14th Sep 2023
Finance Committee (Commons)
2nd Mar 2020 - 24th Jan 2023
Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Bill
14th Dec 2022 - 11th Jan 2023
Public Accounts Committee
17th Oct 2022 - 15th Nov 2022
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
7th Sep 2022 - 28th Oct 2022
Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill
7th Sep 2022 - 12th Oct 2022
Treasury Committee
2nd Mar 2020 - 14th Dec 2021
Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Bill
1st Dec 2021 - 14th Dec 2021
Subsidy Control Bill
20th Oct 2021 - 18th Nov 2021
Cultural Objects (Protection From Seizure) Bill
9th Nov 2021 - 17th Nov 2021
Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill
7th Sep 2021 - 22nd Sep 2021
National Insurance Contributions Bill
16th Jun 2021 - 22nd Jun 2021


Division Voting information

Felicity Buchan has voted in 1011 divisions, and 2 times against the majority of their Party.

17 Jun 2020 - Health and Personal Social Services - View Vote Context
Felicity Buchan voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 104 Conservative Aye votes vs 124 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 253 Noes - 136
30 Mar 2022 - Health and Care Bill - View Vote Context
Felicity Buchan voted No - against a party majority - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 175 Conservative No votes vs 72 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 215 Noes - 188
View All Felicity Buchan Division Votes

All Debates

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Jacob Rees-Mogg (Conservative)
(45 debate interactions)
Boris Johnson (Conservative)
(29 debate interactions)
Matt Hancock (Conservative)
(29 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Cabinet Office
(61 debate contributions)
HM Treasury
(42 debate contributions)
Leader of the House
(29 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Felicity Buchan's debates

Latest EDMs signed by Felicity Buchan

Felicity Buchan has not signed any Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Felicity Buchan, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Felicity Buchan has not been granted any Urgent Questions

2 Adjournment Debates led by Felicity Buchan

2 Bills introduced by Felicity Buchan


A Bill to make provision about electric vehicle charging points in new buildings; and for conected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Monday 21st June 2021

A Bill to make provision about electric vehicle charging points in new buildings; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Tuesday 13th July 2021
(Read Debate)

Latest 31 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
1 Other Department Questions
15th Jun 2022
To ask the President of COP26, what assessment he has made of the role of nature in delivering agreements made at COP26.

Nature-based solutions have the potential to deliver up to a third of the cost-effective mitigation required by 2030 to meet the Paris Agreement’s 2-degree goal. They are also central to adaptation.


At COP26, we brought nature into the heart of the summit for the first time. 143 countries, representing 91% of the world’s forests, pledged to collectively halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030.


We are now focused on implementation, and are working with partners throughout our Presidency to turn commitments into action.

13th Apr 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of making regular statements to the House on progress on (a) the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol and (b) further discussions with the EU on that matter.

The Government recognises the importance of keeping Parliament updated on the Northern Ireland Protocol and on further discussions with the EU. We have done so consistently. We will continue to work constructively and transparently with Parliament on issues relating to the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee, including by continuing to lay Written Ministerial Statements before and after each Joint Committee meeting.

10th Jan 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to improve broadband speeds in specific areas of Kensington where the proportion of households experiencing speeds under 10 Mbps is higher than the (a) national and (b) London average.

According to data from ThinkBroadband, 0.03% of premises in the Kensington constituency are unable to access speeds of 10Mbps through a fixed connection. This compares to a national average of 1.21% of premises that cannot access these speeds through a fixed connection. Whilst coverage is well above the national average, it is important to note that citizens will need to choose higher speed packages in order to benefit from faster speeds, and in some cases, this will involve changing networks. They can find the best services available to them by using Ofcom’s ‘Boost your Broadband’ website or using a price comparison service.

Where consumers are not able to access high-speed broadband through a fixed connection, their broadband connectivity can be supported by mobile broadband coverage. There is good 4G coverage in the London Borough of Kensington, while a number of mobile network operators are now offering 5G services within the Kensington area, which will deliver faster speeds through a mobile connection.

For those unable to access speeds of 10 Mbps through either a fixed or a mobile connection, in March 2020 the government launched the broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) which gives every premises the legal right to request a broadband connection with download speeds of at least 10Mbps and upload speeds of 1Mbps. Residents can find out if they are eligible by visiting BT’s USO postcode checker.

Further details on the USO can be found here.

26th Apr 2021
What steps his Department is taking to support the mental health and wellbeing of (a) children, (b) young people and (c) educational staff within education settings.

The government is committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children, young people and education staff during this period. The return to school for all pupils was prioritised due to the significant and proven impact caused by being out of school, including on wellbeing. The support schools provide to pupils following the return to face-to-face education should include time devoted to wellbeing.

Our new Mental Health in Education Action Group is putting mental health and wellbeing at the heart of recovery plans. It is considering how we can support the mental wellbeing of children, young people and staff following the return to education settings, with the transition period between education settings in September, and in the longer term.

Schools can use their additional funding from the COVID-19 “catch-up” package for pastoral support for mental wellbeing where pupils need it. In addition to this, the new £700 million package includes a new one-off Recovery premium for state primary, secondary and special schools to use as they see best to support disadvantaged pupils. This will help schools to provide their disadvantaged pupils with a one-off boost to the support, both academic and pastoral, that has been proved most effective in helping them recover from the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Furthermore, we recently announced a £79 million boost to children and young people’s mental health support, which is on top of the £2.3 million funding for mental health in the NHS long term plan. This will accelerate the roll out of mental health support teams. We have delivered ‘Wellbeing for Education Return’ an £8 million scheme, which has helped schools and colleges to develop the knowledge and confidence to offer pastoral support at this time.

We have also taken action to respond to the mental health needs of school leaders by launching a pilot, led by the Education Support charity, to provide online peer-support and telephone supervision from experts to around 250 school leaders. Following the success of the pilot, we have recently agreed to extend this support to an additional 160 school leaders until August.

12th Nov 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions officials in his Department (a) have had and (b) plan to have with OFWAT on the performance of water companies during the flooding events in London in 2021.

During heavy rain in London in July and early August, the Met Office recorded over a month's worth of rainfall in a few hours in certain areas. The intensity and duration of the rainfall overwhelmed the drainage infrastructure, causing surface water flooding to parts of London.

Under section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, a lead local flood authority (unitary authorities and county councils) is required to investigate, to the extent that it considers it necessary or appropriate, flooding incidents, including whether flood risk management authorities have exercised their functions. Once completed the report must be published and the relevant risk management authorities notified.

Following the summer surface water flooding in London, Thames Water has also commissioned an independent review into the performance of its network, including its Maida Vale and Counter's Creek flood defence schemes. The Government expects all relevant risk management authorities, especially lead local flood authorities and water companies, to consider and act upon the outcomes and lessons learnt.

Surface water flooding is a local flood risk; managing this risk alongside flooding from groundwater and ordinary watercourses is the responsibility of lead local flood authorities. This includes ensuring the risk of flooding is identified and managed, as part of a local flood risk management strategy, ensuring contingency arrangements and support for local communities are in place. In managing these local risks, the lead local flood authority will work with other risk management authorities. This includes the local highways authorities, who are responsible for highway and gully maintenance, and the water and sewerage companies who operate and maintain the public sewer network.

Water and sewerage companies are regulated by Ofwat, the independent economic regulator for water. Ofwat will hold the companies to account for the delivery of affordable, secure and resilient water services, and will take enforcement action where necessary e.g. where a water company has breached a duty.

12th May 2020
What recent assessment she has made of the effect on the global economy of maintaining (a) free trade and (b) open supply chains during the covid-19 pandemic.

Free trade will be the cornerstone of our economic recovery in this global crisis. With over 1.22bn pieces of PPE delivered to the front line already, including 11 million items on Sunday 10 March alone, we will continue this good work with international counterparts to keep global supply chains open. The Department will work to facilitate resilience building through our free trade agreements in order to secure a thriving international trading future for businesses in the United Kingdom.

31st Mar 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that the electric vehicle charging network is (a) comprehensive and (b) user friendly.

Our infrastructure strategy will ensure public chargepoints are in place to support those without off-street parking and to enable long distance journeys.

Of the £2.5 billion of Government funding committed to the EV transition since 2020, over £1.6 billion will be used to support charging infrastructure.

Our infrastructure strategy will ensure public chargepoints are in place to support those without off-street parking and to enable long distance journeys. We expect at least ten times more public chargepoints to be installed across the UK by the end of the decade, bringing the number to around 300,000 by 2030.

Drivers will benefit from easier payment methods as well as the ability to compare prices and access real-time information about chargepoints. We will ensure there is a 99% reliability rate at rapid chargepoints. Chargepoints will need to have open data so that they are easy to find using maps and apps.

To ensure that the transition to electric vehicles takes place in every part of the country, we are pledging at least £500m to support local chargepoint provision. As part of this, the £450m Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) fund will support local authorities to work with industry and transform the availability of charging for drivers without off-street parking. We have launched a £10m pilot as a springboard for the development of the full fund.

5th Jan 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has held discussions with Transport for London on the Mayor of London's commitment to roll out a fully electric bus fleet by 2034.

The Government has discussions with Transport for London on a wide range of topics, including decarbonising transport. However, transport in London is ultimately devolved to the Mayor of London and TfL.

Rolling out zero-emissions buses across the UK forms part of our Transport Decarbonisation Plan, and London already has the largest electric bus fleet in the UK and one of the largest in Europe. If the Mayor wants to implement a fully electric bus fleet by the 2030s, it is up to the Mayor to find the necessary funding to implement this.

26th Nov 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to (a) increase the availability of on-street electric vehicle charging points in line with projected demand and (b) ensure electric vehicle charging points can be used with all electric vehicle models and are in good working condition.

We will invest over £1.3 billion in accelerating the roll out of charging infrastructure over the next four years, targeting support on rapid chargepoints on motorways and major roads, and installing more on-street chargepoints near homes and workplaces to make charging as easy as refuelling a petrol or diesel car.

So far, the £400 million public-private Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund has made three investments which will create 5,000 more rapid chargepoints across the UK and increase provision of on-street residential chargepoints for those without access to private driveways. The On-Street Residential Charging Scheme supports the rollout of local charging and is available to all UK local authorities to provide public chargepoints for their residents without access to private parking. This year there is £20 million available under the scheme and we have committed substantial funding to address this issue throughout this spending review period.

Our forthcoming Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Strategy will define our vision for the continued roll-out of a world-leading charging infrastructure network across the UK and will establish the Government’s expectations for the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders in the planning and deployment of charging infrastructure.

To increase confidence in the charging network and reduce range anxiety the Government consulted on measures to improve the consumer experience of public charging focusing on four key areas including ensuring the network is reliable and opening public EV chargepoint data to enable consumers to locate the right chargepoint for their needs. Our proposals will mean that consumers can easily understand where chargepoints are situated, whether they are working and available, and if they have the payment methods available that they prefer to use. We will publish our government response shortly and we will lay legislation in 2022.

All new EVs can charge on a ‘Type 2 plug’ for slow and fast charging. For rapid charging the choice is between Combine Charging System (CCS) or CHAdeMO. In 2017 we regulated through the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulations for all charge points to have at least a Type 2 plug for AC charging or CCS plug for DC charging.  Due to our 2017 regulations, and equivalent regulations in other areas of the world, requiring rapid charge points to have CCS, there are now only two EV models are available to buy in the UK with CHAdeMO sockets.

From the driver’s perspective, if they drive a car which has a CCS then they should be able to use any rapid charge point. If they are driving a vehicle that uses a CHAdeMO connector they will be able to use almost all current rapid public chargers, as over 96% rapid charge points come with both CCS and CHAdeMO cables.

26th Nov 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the number of jobs that will be created from the nationwide rollout of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

No such specific assessment has been made. Our Automotive Transformation Fund will accelerate the shift to zero emission vehicles and deliver support for 40,000 jobs in the automotive sector across the UK by 2030. More widely, decarbonising transport will lead to thousands of jobs being created in transport related green industries. The UK infrastructure sector is growing rapidly and our phase out dates for new petrol and diesel cars and vans have sent a clear signal of the UK’s direction of travel unlocking private sector funding which is expanding chargepoint provision and creating jobs and investment across the country.

Our forthcoming Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy will define our vision for the continued roll-out of a world-leading charging infrastructure network across the UK and will establish the Government’s expectations for the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders in the planning and deployment of charging infrastructure.

18th May 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of mandating interoperability between electric vehicle charge point networks as part of the allocation of Government funding for that infrastructure.

For public chargepoints funded with public money, the Government already requires that they meet a strict eligibility criteria. This includes that chargepoints be capable of at least charging those vehicles with a Type 2 connection and that they meet at least the minimum technical specifications required by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles including ensuring chargepoints provide ad-hoc access in line with the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulations 2017.

We want to ensure that all public chargepoints are easy to use and accessible for all motorists who need to use them. The Government has powers under the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018 to improve the customer charging experience and increase provision of electric vehicle infrastructure, and stands ready to introduce regulations if they are needed. We recently consulted on improving the consumer experience at public chargepoints.  This covered four key areas: making it easier to pay, opening up chargepoint data, using a single payment metric and ensuring a reliable network. The consultation closed on 10 April and we are analysing responses with a view to legislating later in the year.

8th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the effect of the end of the transition period on the difference between the level of state pension received by British nationals living in the EU compared to that received by people living outside the EU.

The UK State Pension is payable worldwide and is up-rated where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example, where UK State Pension recipients are living in countries where there is a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating of the UK State Pension. Under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, UK State Pension recipients living in the EEA and Switzerland by 31 December 2020 will have their state pensions up-rated for as long as they continue to live there and remain in scope of the Withdrawal Agreement. This will happen even if they claim their pension on or after 1 January 2021, provided they meet the UK State Pension qualifying conditions. For those not within scope of the Withdrawal Agreement, the rules governing up-rating are subject to the negotiations on the Future Relationship with the EU. The UK Government is seeking a reciprocal agreement with the EU which includes state pension up-rating.

11th Jul 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he will take to implement his forthcoming dementia strategy.

We are reviewing plans for dementia in England and further information will be available in due course.

10th May 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ask St George's Hospital Trust and NHSI to review urgently the findings of the Lewis Review into Cardiac Surgery at St George's Hospital, in the context of the Senior Coroner Professor Wilcox of Westminster Coroner's Court having called into question the conclusions of that Report in the 38 cases which have been heard before the Court and for which the GMC has decided that there is no need for a formal investigation into the medical professionals involved.

There are no current plans for the Department to ask the Trust or NHS England and NHS Improvement to review the findings of the NHS Improvement Independent External Mortality Review relating to cardiac surgery at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, published in March 2020.

Although the report was not formally sent to the medical profession’s regulator, the General Medical Council, for consideration, individual surgeons were referred. Oversight of the unit was maintained by NHS England.

25th Apr 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to improve dementia diagnosis rates in the 2022-23 financial year.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

25th Apr 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of trends in national dementia diagnosis rates in England from March 2021 to March 2022.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

14th Apr 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ask St George's Hospital Trust and NHSI to review urgently the findings of the Lewis Review into Cardiac Surgery at St George's Hospital, in the context of the Senior Coroner Professor Wilcox of Westminster Coroner's Court having called into question the conclusions of that Report in the 38 cases which have been been heard before the Court and for which the GMC has decided that there is no need for a formal investigation into the medical professionals involved.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Edward Argar
Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
26th Apr 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a public messaging to communicate that young people may access mental health support from their local authority in addition to within schools; and what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on a holistic strategy to support young people’s mental health.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before prorogation.

9th Feb 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the success of the Cancer Recovery Plan for services in London; and what further steps he plans to take to mitigate the disparity in cancer related health outcomes for different communities in London beyond March 2021.

The Cancer Services Recovery Plan, published in December 2020, aims to restore urgent referrals at least to pre-pandemic levels, to reduce the number of people waiting over 62 days from urgent referral and ensure sufficient capacity to meet demand.

The latest data from December shows that in London:

- 30,236 people were referred on the urgent two week wait pathway in December 2020, 4% more than in December 2019;

- 2,690 people started a first treatment for cancer in December, 7% more than in December 2019, and 96.9% of those people did so within 31 days; and

- Of those, 1,502 people started treatment via the urgent pathway, 12% more than in December 2019.

Through the NHS Long Term Plan, the NHS Cancer Programme is committed to improve access to treatments for all cancer patients and reduce health inequalities. Cancer Alliances are working with local sustainability and transformation partnerships and integrated care systems to reduce variation on patient outcomes and experience.

14th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect of the tiered system of covid-19 alert levels on the work of (a) Alcoholics Anonymous, (b) Narcotics Anonymous and (c) other support groups in areas of different levels of risk.

The Government’s COVID-19 guidance makes it clear that support groups for mutual aid, including people recovering from addictions, are able to meet in groups up to 15 people. The guidance can be viewed at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do

Public Health England published guidance outlining COVID-19 advice for commissioners and service providers involved in assisting people who are dependent on drugs or alcohol or both. It can be viewed at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-commissioners-and-providers-of-services-for-people-who-use-drugs-or-alcohol.

The guidance includes advice about meetings of mutual aid and other support groups.

21st Jun 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she is taking to help support preparations for the rebuilding of Ukraine.

The Prime Minister has made clear our commitment to help preserve the viability of the Ukrainian state and to support reconstruction wherever possible. We are working with the Ukrainian Government to identify their needs and will attend the Ukraine Recovery Conference in July. The UK has also led efforts to support Ukraine with economic, military and humanitarian support. We have committed support totalling over $3 billion so far.

26th Apr 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Iranian counterpart on the (a) release of Morad Tahbaz and (b) the removal of travel restrictions imposed by that country on Mr Tahbaz's wife.

The Iranian Government committed to releasing Morad from prison on indefinite furlough alongside the lifting of his wife, Vida's, travel ban and has failed to honour that commitment. Continuing his horrendous ordeal sends a clear message to the international community that Iran does not honour its commitments. We continue to urge the Iranian authorities at every opportunity to release him immediately and allow his wife to leave Iran. Morad is a tri-national and we are working closely with the United States to secure both his and his wife's permanent release and departure from Iran.

16th Jun 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support his Department provides to owners of shared office spaces which remain liable for business rates and are ineligible for other forms of Government support.

The Business Rates Relief has been directed towards the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors as these are properties that are wholly or mainly being used by visiting members of the public. However, shared office spaces owners who are ineligible for the Local Authority (LA) grant schemes may be eligible for the Discretionary Grant Scheme in England. This has made up to £617m of additional funding available to LAs to enable them to make payments of up to £25,000 to businesses. LAs have received guidance regarding which kinds of businesses should be considered a priority, which includes those in shared offices. LAs may also choose to pay grants to businesses according to local economic need, so long as businesses meet the following criteria:

  • They face ongoing fixed building-related costs
  • They can demonstrate that they have suffered a significant fall in income due to COVID-19
  • They have fewer than 50 employees;
  • They were trading on or before 11th March

Small businesses operating out of shared offices also continue to have access to a range of support measures including, but not limited to:

  • The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS)
  • The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS)
  • The Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBL) for small and micro enterprises
  • VAT deferral for up to 12 months
  • The Time To Pay scheme, through which businesses in financial distress, and with outstanding tax liabilities, can receive support with their tax affairs
  • Protection for commercial leaseholders against automatic forfeiture for non-payment until June 30, 2020 – with an option for the Government to extend if needed.

The Business Support website provides further information about how businesses can access the support that has been made available, who is eligible and how to apply -https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder.

Kemi Badenoch
Leader of HM Official Opposition
22nd Apr 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support is available for people with fixed term employment contracts that ended prior to 19 March 2020; and how that support differs for people on (a) full time, (b) agency, (c) flexible and (d) zero-hour contracts.

Employees on any type of employment contract, including full-time, part-time, agency, flexible and zero-hour contracts are eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme providing they were on their employer’s PAYE payroll on or before 19 March 2020, and that HMRC received an RTI submission notifying payment in respect of that employee on or before 19 March 2020. Fixed term employees can also be claimed for, and if their contract has not already expired it can be extended or renewed.

If employees were made redundant or stopped working for their employer on or after 28 February 2020, they can be re-employed by their previous employer and put on furlough as long as they were on the employer’s PAYE payroll on 28 February 2020. Employees that started and ended the same contract between 28 February 2020 and 19 March 2020 will not qualify for this scheme. This is not specific to employees on fixed-term contracts, the same would apply to employees on all other contracts.

Guidance for employers can be found at: www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme#employees-you-can-claim-for

Those who are not eligible to receive this grant may be able to access other support Government is providing. This includes a package of temporary welfare measures, including increases in the Universal Credit standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element; providing local councils an additional £500 million to support the most vulnerable people in society; and providing up to three-month mortgage payment holidays for those struggling with their mortgage payments.

Jesse Norman
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
22nd Apr 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the business of (a) private dentists, (b) private physiotherapists, (c) other private healthcare providers; and whether he has plans to provide business rates relief to those sectors as provided to the hospitality sector.

The Government has provided enhanced support to the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in England through business rates relief, given the direct and acute impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on those sectors. Business rates in Northern Ireland are devolved.

A range of further measures to support all businesses, including those not eligible for the business rates holiday, such as medical service providers, has also been made available. For example, the Government has launched the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help firms continue to keep people in employment, and the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme offering loans of up to £5 million for SMEs through the British Business Bank. The Government is also deferring VAT payments for this quarter.

Jesse Norman
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
14th Mar 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending section 68 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to raise the maximum value of fixed penalty notices.

The Government introduced Public Spaces Protection Orders through section 68 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (the ‘2014 Act’) to enable local authorities to tackle anti-social behaviour in public spaces.

The powers in the 2014 Act are local in nature, and it is for local agencies to determine whether their use is appropriate in specific circumstances, as they are best placed to understand the needs of their community and the most appropriate response.

There are no plans to raise the maximum value of fixed penalty notices in relation to Public Space Protection Orders. However, the Home Office does keep such matters under review.

5th Jul 2021
What steps he is taking to modernise and strengthen the NATO alliance.

The UK is working with Allies to ensure NATO continues to protect the Euro-Atlantic area from current and future threats. At the Summit on 14 June, leaders agreed new proposals on deterrence and defence, emerging and disruptive technology, resilience, strengthening relationships with NATO Partners and climate security. NATO remains the cornerstone of our defence and the UK is the leading European Ally in the Alliance.

24th Feb 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of allocating funding to specialist retirement housing to tackle the housing shortage; and if he will make a statement.

The growth of this sector is important for meeting the needs of the ageing population and supporting our housing supply objectives. We are investing over £12 billion in affordable housing over 5 years, the largest investment in affordable housing in a decade. This includes the new £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme, where 10 per cent of delivery over the course of the programme will be used to increase the supply of much needed specialist or supported housing, including retirement housing.

We are continuing to work closely with the sector to look at how we can further support its growth.

13th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether it is his policy that English Language Schools that have been forced to close under the covid-19 restrictions announced in January 2021 are eligible for grant funding coordinated by local authorities.

We have made an additional £500 million available via the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) announced by the Chancellor on 5 January. This builds on the £1.1 billion already allocated following the second lockdown in November 2020.

This further grant funding is designed to support businesses that are severely impacted by the new Covid-19 restrictions. Local authorities have discretion to use this funding to support businesses in the way they see fit, and to determine which businesses are.

Local authorities must be assured that businesses applying for grants: a) have been mandated to close as a result of national restrictions, b) are solvent, c) are is eligible to pay business rates, and d) that the business in question is able to meet any other criteria laid out in the guidance. Where businesses do not meet this criteria, local authorities have the ability to provide discretionary grant funding via the Additional Restrictions Grant.

3rd Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will publish data on the transmission rate of covid-19 in places of worship; and what discussions he had with faith leaders before the proposed closure of places of worship for communal prayer in November 2020.

The Government has listened carefully to the views of the scientific community, in particular the information from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and its sub-groups when taking decisions on the best way to tackle the pandemic. SAGE advice continues to inform the decisions made by the Government, and data and scientific advice informing the fight against COVID-19 are published on gov.uk and specific relevant findings are shared in presentations accompanying significant policy announcements.

The Places of Taskforce met on 2 November. In addition, roundtables have been held with our major faith groups to discuss the revised guidance.

Discussions with our faith groups at these meetings, as they have been throughout the pandemic, have proved to be extremely helpful in sharing information with our faith groups, as well as hearing of their concerns, and we will continue to draw on the expertise of Taskforce members.