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Written Question
Theatre: EU Countries
Tuesday 25th May 2021

Asked by: Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, what recent assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the EU on the ability of theatre productions that originate in the UK to undertake a continuous multinational tour in Europe.

Answered by Caroline Dinenage

This Government recognises the importance of our world leading creative and cultural industries, including theatre. Touring is a vital part of performers’ careers, providing not only a vital income stream, but also enriching opportunities for cultural exchange across the world. Being outside the European Union does not change this. It does, however, mean practical changes on both sides of the Channel that will require understanding and adaptation.

UK performers and artists are of course still able to tour and perform in the EU, and vice versa. However, we understand the concerns about the new arrangements and we are committed to supporting the sectors as they get to grips with the changes to systems and processes.

As the Prime Minister has said, we're working flat out with the industry, including through the DCMS-led working group, on plans to support the creative sectors tour in Europe. Through our bilateral discussions with EU Member States, we have established that in at least 17 out of 27 Member States some touring activities are possible without visas or work-permits.

In recognition of the value of the cultural and creative industries - including theatre - at Budget 2021 this government announced an additional £300 million of support in England through the Culture Recovery Fund. This extra funding means that our total support package for culture during the pandemic is now approaching £2 billion. These are unprecedented sums.


Written Question
Infant Mortality: Multiple Births
Tuesday 30th March 2021

Asked by: Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that maternity units implement the recommendations in the MBRRACE Perinatal Confidential Enquiry into stillbirths and neonatal deaths in twin pregnancies.

Answered by Nadine Dorries

Through the Maternity Transformation Programme, a range of interventions are being implemented to support the delivery of maternity and neonatal care according to clinical guidelines, as recommended in the MBRRACE Perinatal Confidential Enquiry into stillbirths and neonatal deaths in twin pregnancies, and to improve perinatal outcomes.

Every National Health Service maternity service is actively implementing elements of the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle which sets out specific care pathways that can affect twin/multiple pregnancies including prevention of fetal growth restriction and preterm birth. Multidisciplinary fetal medicine clinics are being established across England, which aim to ensure that high risk women have timely access to specialist advice and care at all stages of pregnancy.


Written Question
Local Housing Allowance
Tuesday 9th March 2021

Asked by: Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the local housing allowance for under 35 year olds to access available accommodation options.

Answered by Will Quince

For those under 35, the shared accommodation rate (SAR) of Local Housing Allowance applies to those living on their own and renting privately. However, there are certain exemptions which allow claimants to receive the higher one-bedroom rate instead of the SAR. These include those in receipt of the severe disability premium, care leavers up to the age of 22 and those over 25 who have spent at least three months in a homeless hostel.

As announced on 3 March, we will be extending the exemption for care leavers and former residents of homeless hostels to all qualifying under 25 year olds from June 2021. This will bring forward the planned implementation of these previously announced changed by over 2 years.

More broadly, in April 2020 LHA rates were raised, including all SARs, to the 30th percentile of local rents and are being maintained in cash terms for 2021/22.


Written Question
Local Government: Coronavirus
Monday 22nd February 2021

Asked by: Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities during the covid-19 outbreak.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

The Government has allocated over £8 billion directly to councils since the start of the pandemic.

In addition, local authorities are expected to receive over £3 billion of support in 2021-22, for both additional expenditure pressures and loss of income.

This takes the total support committed to councils in England to tackle the impacts of COVID-19 to over £11 billion.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Travel
Friday 5th February 2021

Asked by: Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the covid-19 lockdown restrictions announced in January 2021, what the maximum distance is that people are permitted to travel for exercise.

Answered by Nadine Dorries

There is no specific distance applicable to all circumstances. However, the advice is that to meet the legal requirement not to leave home to travel unless for work or other legally permitted reasons. To reduce the risk of transmission, people should stay local and avoid travelling outside of the village, town or the part of a city where they live and look to reduce the number of journeys made overall.


Written Question
Park Homes: Fees and Charges
Thursday 4th February 2021

Asked by: Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2020 to Question 982 on Park Homes: Fees and Charges, what progress has been made on the introduction of primary legislation to change the pitch fee review inflationary index from the Retail Prices Index (RPI) to the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) .

Answered by Eddie Hughes

The Government remains committed to improving protections for park home residents and this includes changing the pitch fee review inflationary index from the Retail Prices Index (RPI) to the Consumer Prices Index (CPI).

We are carefully considering the detailed policy of this and other commitments, to ensure they can be delivered effectively and will introduce the required legislation when the parliamentary timetable allows.

Last year we delivered on our commitment to make Regulations introducing a fit and proper test for park home site owners or their manager.


Written Question
Park Homes: Sales
Thursday 4th February 2021

Asked by: Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress has been made in the review of the 10 per cent commission of the price of a mobile home upon sale.

Answered by Eddie Hughes

We undertook an initial scoping study last year to identify gaps in the existing evidence base to ensure the research is thorough and comprehensive. The tendering process for the research will be concluded shortly.

We will make residents and site owners aware of the timetable for the research before it commences to ensure they are able to fully participate and contribute to this important work.


Written Question
Non-domestic Rates: Tax Allowances
Thursday 4th February 2021

Asked by: Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to extend business rates relief for non-essential businesses beyond the 2020-21 tax year.

Answered by Jesse Norman

This year the Government has provided an unprecedented business rates holiday for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties, and nurseries, due to the direct adverse effects of COVID-19, worth about £10 billion.

At the 2020 Spending Review, the Government committed further support to all businesses by freezing the business rates multiplier for 2021-22.

The Government is considering options for reliefs for 2021-22. As announced in a Written Ministerial Statement on 3 February, the Government will outline the next round of COVID-19 support measures at Budget.


Written Question
Coastal Areas: South East
Friday 11th December 2020

Asked by: Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to help ensure that (a) Clacton constituency and (b) deprived coastal areas in the South are included in the Government's levelling up agenda.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are committed to levelling up opportunity across the UK – by boosting jobs, wages and prospects for all communities. The government is launching a new Levelling Up Fund worth £4bn for England. This will invest in local infrastructure that has a visible impact on people and their communities and will support economic recovery. We will publish more detail on the criteria for assessing bids in the prospectus.

The Department is also working to implement the findings of the Green Book Review to better reflect the government's strategic objectives in business cases, particularly on levelling up.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Car Washes
Thursday 3rd December 2020

Asked by: Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans the Government has to exempt car washes from future covid-19 restrictions.

Answered by Nadine Dorries

Car washes are not considered as an essential service. From 2 December, essential and non-essential retail, including indoor and outdoor markets and car boot sales, can remain open in all tiers. All businesses and venues that are open are expected to follow COVID-19 secure guidelines to protect customers, visitors and workers.