Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the average waiting time is for his Department to decide whether to serve an intention notice proposing a reduction of a Green Deal loan mis-sold by Home Energy and Lifestyle Management Ltd on a case.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The Green Deal Framework Regulations require that, before imposing any sanction, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State gives notice to affected parties of his intention to impose a sanction (an initial notice, referred to as an Intention Notice) and provides them with an opportunity to make representations before it is made final.
As of 8th October 2020, there were 117 appeals against mis-selling by Home Energy and Lifestyle Management Ltd (HELMS) for which no Intention Notice or final decision has been issued.
The average time between receipt of an appeal case by the Secretary of State and the Issue of an Intention Notice is 13 months.
The following table shows how many Intention Notices were issued by month proposing reduction or cancellation of Green Deal loans in response to appeals about mis-selling by HELMS, and the number of these cases for which no representations have been received.
Month | Number of Intention Notices Sent | Number of cases for which no representations have been received |
October 2019 | 15 | 9 |
November 2019 | 11 | 9 |
December 2019 | 17 | 9 |
January 2020 | 13 | 7 |
February 2020 | 22 | 10 |
March 2020 | 12 | 6 |
April 2020 | 3 | 0 |
Complainants can appeal final decisions (set out in final Sanction Notices) to the General Regulatory Chamber of the First–tier Tribunal. For one case recorded in the above table, the complainant did not submit representations but, following receipt of a final Sanction Notice, appealed to the Tribunal.
No Intention Notices have been issued since April. In April, two decisions were made by the First-tier Tribunal in response to appeals. Following this, the issuing of Intention Notices was paused to allow for full consideration of the First-tier Tribunal decisions in future Intention Notices.
During this period, 43 Sanction Notices have been issued in response to appeals about mis-selling by HELMS.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much of the public subsidy to Post Office Ltd was spent on operations in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK.
While the Government sets?the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. As such, the amount of public subsidy given to Post Office Ltd. to use for operations cross the UK are?operational matter for?Post Office Limited.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2020 to Question 71096 on Post Office Horizon IT System Independent Review, whether he plans to maintain the timetable for (a) appointing a chair and (b) beginning the review by the end of September.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government wants to see the Horizon Independent Review start as soon as possible. We are making good progress with the appointment of a Chair. Once this process is complete, the Review will be formally launched.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many of each Post Office branch type were temporarily closed in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) each region of England on 31 August 2020.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK.
While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. As such, the number and type of temporarily closed branches across the UK is an operational matters for Post Office Limited.
?I have asked Nick Read, the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the Hon Member about this matter. A copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.??
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2020 to Question 71096 on Post Office Horizon IT System Independent Review, for what reason a Chair has not yet been announced for the review; and when that review will begin.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government wants to see the Horizon Independent Review start as soon as possible. We are making good progress with the appointment of a Chair. Once this process is complete, the Review will be formally launched.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the timeframe is for the Post Office Report and Accounts for the financial year ended 31 March 2020 to be laid before Parliament.
Answered by Paul Scully
While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. The timeframe for the Post Office Report and Accounts?is an operational matter for Post Office Limited.? I therefore asked?Nick Read,?the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the Hon. Member on this matter. His reply was issued on 26th August and a copy will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many of each Post Office branch type were temporarily closed in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) each region of England on (i) 31 May 2020, (ii) 30 June 2020, and (iii) 21 July 2020.
Answered by Paul Scully
While the Government sets?the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. As such, the number of Post Office branch type temporarily closed across the UK since 31 May, 30 June and 21 July are operational matters for?Post Office Limited.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many Post Offices were temporarily closed in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) each region of England on (i) 31 May 2020, (ii) 30 June 2020 and (iii) 21 July 2020.
Answered by Paul Scully
While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. As such, temporarily closed Post Offices across the UK on 31 May, 30 June and 21 July are operational matters for Post Office Limited.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Government’s Covid-19 recovery strategy, what steps she is taking to create safe work environments for disabled people as they return to work as covid-19 lockdown restrictions ease.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government has published guidance on safer working for a range of working environments, available on gov.uk. The guidance does not change employers’ obligations to make reasonable adjustments for those with disabilities.
Nothing in this guidance affects employers’ existing responsibilities under health and safety, employment and equalities legislation. Employers therefore need to bear in mind the particular needs of different groups or individuals, and make sure that the steps they take to address the risk of COVID-19 do not unjustifiably impact on some groups compared with others.
The safer workplaces guidance provides suggestions to help employers make their workplaces COVID-19 secure for their employees, visitors and customers. We expect all businesses to approach reopening in a sensible way, taking account of the Government’s guidance and discussing with neighbouring businesses and their local authorities where applicable.
The guidance covers England only, but it is drafted in a way that is useful to all employers. The Devolved Administrations were consulted regularly throughout the drafting of this guidance.
Employers should follow all guidance and comply with relevant legislation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the timescale is for the appointment of the Chair of the Independent Review into the Post Office Horizon system.
Answered by Paul Scully
We plan to appoint a Chair so that they can start the inquiry by September at the latest.