Jeremy Wright

Ofgem supports community energy projects and welcomes applications from the sector to the Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme. The Government is also helping local authorities and community energy groups to work together to develop projects within UK Growth Funding schemes.

I am in close contact with Katherine Tai, the US Trade Representative. I am pleased the US has lifted tariffs on Whisky and I am working to lift Airbus Boeing dispute. We are continuing to make progress in Free Trade Agreement (FTA) discussions as well as working together on our broader trade agenda.

The Government is still considering the full implications of the recent Heathrow judgement and what impacts, if any, it might have on other projects such as HS2. It is a complex and important judgment which the Government will need time to consider carefully.

HS2 is due to play a key part in the transition to a net-zero carbon UK economy by 2050. HS2 will offer some of the lowest carbon emissions per passenger km – seven times less than passenger cars and 17 times less than domestic air travel in 2030. By providing a cleaner, greener way to travel, HS2 will help cut the number of cars and lorries on our roads, cut demand for domestic flights, and help the country’s fight against climate change.

We intend to take forward a Remedial Order to extend eligibility for BSP to cohabitees with children. The detail of the changes will be set out in the Remedial Order. We intend to lay the Order before the House in due course.

We intend to take forward a Remedial Order to extend eligibility for BSP to cohabitees with children. The detail of the changes will be set out in the Remedial Order. We intend to lay the Order before the House in due course.

The NHS Volunteer Responders programme, is available to help support people in England who need it. NHS Volunteer Responders carry out simple, one-off non-medical tasks to support people who need help, for instance in accessing essentials.

NHS Volunteer Responders provide a different but complementary service to the NHS Test and Trace service. They are part of the end-to-end service that helps identify, contain and control COVID-19, preventing the spread of the virus, protecting local communities and saving lives.

On 8 April, the Chancellor announced a package of £750 million funding support for the charities sector. As part of this, £370 million in funding is to be provided through the National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF). This funding will support front line charities providing vital services and helping vulnerable people affected by COVID-19.

The criteria for this funding have not yet been released but the Children’s Air Ambulance charity may be eligible to apply for the NLCF funding once this bidding process launches in the coming weeks.

Further information on the Bonus has been published at the end of July, including the eligibility criteria. Full guidance will be published by the end of September. Regarding labour retention and new starters, the relevant criteria is that the employee must have been continuously employed until 31 January 2021 and still be employed by the same employer as of 31 January 2021; and, not be serving a contractual or statutory notice period, that started before 1 February 2021, for the employer making a claim.

The Government’s comprehensive response to the COVID-19 outbreak ensures that there is a wide range of support available for those who may have not been retained by their employers. These include a £1,000 a year increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element, and a nearly £1 billion increase in support for renters through increases to the Local Housing Allowance rates for Universal Credit and Housing Benefit claimants.

After eight months of the CJRS, the scheme will close in October.

The CJRS is a temporary scheme and the Government must ensure that people can get back to work when it is safe to do so and get the UK economy up and running again.

It would be very challenging to target the CJRS to specific sectors in a fair and deliverable way, and it is not clear that this is the most effective or sensible way to provide longer term support for those sectors most affected by coronavirus.

It would also be difficult to target the CJRS at specific sectors without creating distortion, particularly as some firms work across multiple sectors. Other business support measures can provide support to specific firms.

The purpose of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is to support people who would otherwise have been made redundant. To prevent fraudulent claims, the Government made it clear that individuals cannot work or volunteer for their organisation.

When on furlough, an employee can undertake training or volunteer subject to public health guidance, so long as they are not making money for their employer or any organisation linked or associated with their association, or providing services to their employer or any organisation linked or associated with their association.

Section 41 of The Tax Credit Act 2002 requires Treasury ministers to undertake an annual review of the rates of Tax Credits and to consider whether they have retained their value.

The disabled worker element and severe disability element of Working Tax Credit were uprated by CPI for 2020/21 to £3,3220 and £1,390 respectively.

During the review of Tax Credit rates for 2020/21 no specific assessment was made of the effect of the Housing Benefit disregards when setting the disability element rates of Working Tax Credit.