Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will increase the maximum permitted state aid limit of support that a business can receive under the Covid-19 Temporary Framework for UK Authorities.
Answered by Paul Scully
Under the Covid-19 Temporary Framework for UK Authorities aid of up to €800,000 can be awarded to businesses affected by the coronavirus outbreak.
On 20 October, UK authorities submitted a notification to the European Commission to take advantage of a new measure under the European Commission’s Temporary Framework. This new measure would enable greater support to companies facing a decline in turnover during the eligible period of at least 30% compared to the same period of 2019, due to the pandemic. The support will contribute to a part of the beneficiaries' fixed costs that are not covered by their revenues, up to maximum amount of €3 million per business.
The European Commission is currently considering the notification and will provide a response in due course.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the new Green Homes Grant scheme will be available to the owners and tenants of (a) park homes and (b) other mobile homes.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
Park homeowners (for residential sites including Gypsy and Traveller sites) are eligible for the Green Homes Grant scheme. Further details regarding eligibility, terms & conditions et cetera will be published in due course.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
What steps his Department is taking to enable (a) beauty salons and (b) other businesses to conduct facial treatments in a covid-secure way.
Answered by Paul Scully
We have worked closely with the sector and public health experts to ensure we now have the confidence that these services can resume safely on 1 August and in line with COVID-secure guidelines.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will publish Public Health England's assessment of the scientific evidence on which the Government has instructed that beauty salons are not permitted to carry out facial treatments under covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Ministerial Taskforces have been getting scientific input from Public Health England (PHE), who have been directly involved in the taskforce meetings, helping to resolve scientific issues as they draft the guidance. Each individual working group which produced the guidance published on 11 May had active PHE presence, and each set of guidance was produced in collaboration with them, the Health and Safety Executive and other Departments. That model was followed for both the pubs and restaurants, close contact services, and non-essential retail taskforces. The PHE staff who have supported the BEIS taskforces are in regular direct contact with those attending SAGE and have access to the PHE SAGE read-outs. They have endeavoured to reflect closely the SAGE recommendations and have also been responsible for putting some subjects pertinent to BEIS discussions to SAGE, such as persistence of COVID-19 on surfaces, and consideration of social distancing requirements under different scenarios. SAGE information is shared on its website: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies-sage-coronavirus-covid-19-response.