Asked by: Ian Mearns (Labour - Gateshead)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plan to temporarily suspend the requirement for physical signatures on Local Election Candidate Nomination forms for the elections in May 2021 to (a) prevent transmission of covid-19 infection between households and (b) help ensure a level playing field for all candidates including those who may be classified as vulnerable.
Answered by Julia Lopez
The Government has published a clear Delivery Plan for the May elections, setting out how the Government will support local elections teams to deliver effective polls that are covid-secure for voters and staff.
I refer the Hon Member to the statement of 8 February 2021 HCWS773 which gave details of the measures to reduce the number of signatures required by candidates as part of the nominations process to stand at the elections being held in May 2021.
Asked by: Ian Mearns (Labour - Gateshead)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he carried out any assessment of the effect of Carillion's liquidation on the viability of the small businesses in its supply chain in the UK prior to deciding not to support that company through the bail-out negotiations.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Shadow Deputy Prime Minister
We are doing everything we can to support Carillion’s subcontractors and suppliers impacted by this collapse, but taxpayers should not, and will not, bail out a private sector company for private sector losses or allow rewards for failure.
We have also set up a taskforce to advise on the impact on small businesses and employees affected by Carillion’s insolvency. It will act as a means for government to communicate to those affected by Carillion’s liquidation, assess wider economic impacts and consider how to ensure that employees are provided with the right support to maximise rapid re-employment.
Asked by: Ian Mearns (Labour - Gateshead)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he carried out any assessment of the effect of Carillion's liquidation on the viability of the small businesses in its supply chain in the UK prior to deciding not to support that company through the bail-out negotiations.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Shadow Deputy Prime Minister
We are doing everything we can to support Carillion’s subcontractors and suppliers impacted by this collapse, but taxpayers should not, and will not, bail out a private sector company for private sector losses or allow rewards for failure.
We have also set up a taskforce to advise on the impact on small businesses and employees affected by Carillion’s insolvency. It will act as a means for government to communicate to those affected by Carillion’s liquidation, assess wider economic impacts and consider how to ensure that employees are provided with the right support to maximise rapid re-employment.
Asked by: Ian Mearns (Labour - Gateshead)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the appointment of PwC as Official Receivers to Carillion; how many PwC employees are working on the management of Carillion; and what the timetable is for PwC remaining involved in the management of Carillion.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Shadow Deputy Prime Minister
PwC are not the Official Receivers. Information on the role of PwC within Carillion is held by the Insolvency Service who are the contracting authority for this work.
Asked by: Ian Mearns (Labour - Gateshead)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the appointment of PwC as Official Receivers to Carillion; how many PwC employees are working on the management of Carillion; and what the timetable is for PwC remaining involved in the management of Carillion.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Shadow Deputy Prime Minister
PwC are not the Official Receivers. Information on the role of PwC within Carillion is held by the Insolvency Service who are the contracting authority for this work.
Asked by: Ian Mearns (Labour - Gateshead)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to maintain the level of youth services provision.
Answered by Brooks Newmark
We are working to offer practical support to the youth sector at a time when local authorities continue to make difficult decisions on how to deliver services. This support focuses on promoting delivery models for innovative services, including mutuals, and better measurement of the impact of youth services on the lives of young people.
Asked by: Ian Mearns (Labour - Gateshead)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to maintain the level of youth services provision.
Answered by Nick Hurd
We are supporting the voluntary sector in offering new learning opportunities for young people through programmes like NCS.
In addition, we will be offering practical support to local authorities who want to deliver high quality youth services in an innovative way - for example by access to our £10m support programme for Mutuals.