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Written Question
Members: Correspondence
Thursday 9th July 2020

Asked by: John Baron (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to respond to the letters of 8 April 2020, 12 May 2020 and 18 June 2020 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay on Mr Alan Bates.

Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons

The Treasury has received a huge volume of additional correspondence in recent months and is sorry for the delay in responding to the Honourable Member. Officials will respond as soon as possible.

Written Question
Small Businesses: Insurance
Monday 27th April 2020

Asked by: John Baron (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that small business insurers recognise covid-19 as a notifiable disease.

Answered by John Glen

The Government is in continual dialogue with the insurance sector about its contribution to handling this unprecedented situation.

For those businesses which have an appropriate policy that covers government ordered closure and unspecified notifiable diseases, the Government’s social distancing instructions are sufficient to allow businesses to make a claim against their insurance, provided the other terms and conditions in their policy are met.

The FCA’s rules require insurers to handle claims fairly and promptly; provide reasonable guidance to help a policyholder make a claim, and appropriate information on its progress; not reject a claim unreasonably; and settle claims promptly once settlement terms are agreed. In addition, the FCA has said that, in light of COVID-19, insurers must consider very carefully the needs of their customers and show flexibility in their treatment of them. The Government is working closely with the FCA to ensure that the rules are being upheld during this crisis.

However, most businesses have not purchased insurance that covers losses from COVID-19. Insurance policies differ significantly, so businesses are encouraged to check the terms and conditions of their specific policy and contact their providers.

The Government recognises that businesses who do not have appropriate insurance cover will require support from elsewhere. As such, businesses should explore the full package of support set out by the Chancellor, which includes measures such as business rates holidays, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, and wage support.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 24 Mar 2020
Oral Answers to Questions

"T3. I commend the Chancellor and his team for the robust policy response that we have seen to this crisis so far, but may I ask them to continue to focus laser-like on the issue of cash flow, which is particularly important to smaller businesses, particularly important to the workforce, …..."
John Baron - View Speech

View all John Baron (Con - Basildon and Billericay) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 17 Mar 2020
Economic Update

"I commend the Chancellor for this package of measures as far as they go, and we understand that it is a moving narrative, but I particularly urge him to focus on the importance of cash flow when it comes to smaller businesses and the self-employed. However, can I raise with …..."
John Baron - View Speech

View all John Baron (Con - Basildon and Billericay) contributions to the debate on: Economic Update
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 02 Jul 2019
Oral Answers to Questions

"7. What steps his Department is taking to tackle stakeholders’ concerns on the roll-out of the off-payroll working rules to the private sector. ..."
John Baron - View Speech

View all John Baron (Con - Basildon and Billericay) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 02 Jul 2019
Oral Answers to Questions

"Nevertheless, there are concerns within the private sector about the forthcoming adoption of IR35. What lessons are there from its application to the public sector?..."
John Baron - View Speech

View all John Baron (Con - Basildon and Billericay) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in General Committees - Tue 18 Jun 2019
Draft Double Taxation Relief and International Tax Enforcement (Israel) Order 2019 Draft Double Taxation Relief (Cyprus) Order 2019

"I fully endorse what the Minister has been saying about tax avoidance schemes. In future deliberations, I ask him to resist any temptation to increase tax on dividends. He will understand that, over the long term, the reinvestment of dividends over time has accounted for the vast majority of investment …..."
John Baron - View Speech

View all John Baron (Con - Basildon and Billericay) contributions to the debate on: Draft Double Taxation Relief and International Tax Enforcement (Israel) Order 2019 Draft Double Taxation Relief (Cyprus) Order 2019
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 11 Feb 2019
Financial Services (Implementation of Legislation) Bill [Lords]

"I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. The Economic Secretary to the Treasury will be aware of our exchanges in Committee regarding EU regulations as they relate to key information documents and how KIDs are adversely affecting the assessment of investment trusts. The …..."
John Baron - View Speech

View all John Baron (Con - Basildon and Billericay) contributions to the debate on: Financial Services (Implementation of Legislation) Bill [Lords]
Speech in General Committees - Wed 09 Jan 2019
Draft Alternative Investment Fund Managers (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 Draft Venture Capital Funds (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 Draft Social Entrepreneurship Funds (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018

"May I first thank the Minister for his opening comments, and say what a pleasure it is to speak under your chairmanship, Mr Sharma?

As the Committee discusses how we can ensure that those financial standards presently governed by the EU are transferred to our own regulatory bodies in good …..."
John Baron - View Speech

View all John Baron (Con - Basildon and Billericay) contributions to the debate on: Draft Alternative Investment Fund Managers (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 Draft Venture Capital Funds (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 Draft Social Entrepreneurship Funds (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018
Speech in General Committees - Wed 09 Jan 2019
Draft Alternative Investment Fund Managers (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 Draft Venture Capital Funds (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 Draft Social Entrepreneurship Funds (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018

"I take on board that the Minister has just quoted ESMA and all the rest of it. The trouble is that investment trusts are not well understood within the EU. It is all right for them to say, “We are happy with things,” but if they are inherently deficient, we …..."
John Baron - View Speech

View all John Baron (Con - Basildon and Billericay) contributions to the debate on: Draft Alternative Investment Fund Managers (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 Draft Venture Capital Funds (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 Draft Social Entrepreneurship Funds (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018