Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the cost to the public purse has been to date of implementing hybrid proceedings in Parliament.
Answered by Pete Wishart - SNP Deputy Westminster Leader
The House of Commons Commission is responsible for the hybrid proceedings in the Commons. The costs set out below therefore relate only to work associated with the Commons, not Parliament as a whole. The figures show combined implementation/other one-off costs and running costs as at 31 May 2020, and cover committed spend up to that date, not just actual expenditure.
VIRTUAL CHAMBER REVENUE COSTS:
Chamber set up – £31,200
Broadcasting hub set up – £12,734
Specialist operating team – £176,000
Technical infrastructure hire – £334,000
Remote broadcasting provision for Ministers and other key Members – £70,000
Additional internet bandwidth – £6,000
Sub-total excluding VAT = £629,934
(all supplier costs concerned, excluding any capital costs, are VAT recoverable)
VIRTUAL CHAMBER CAPITAL COSTS:
Broadcasting equipment – £123,994
Hansard recording equipment – £58,306
Sub-total excluding VAT = £182,300
Sub-total including VAT = £218,760
REMOTE VOTING, BALLOTING AND ANNUNCIATOR COSTS:
Remote voting (development, hosting) – £40,000 approx.
Commons Balloting – £12,500
Remote annunciator (“UKParliamentNow”) – £33,464 (Commons share only)
Sub-total including VAT = £85,964
VIRTUAL COMMITTEES REVENUE COSTS:
Implementation = £24,327 ex VAT (£29,192 including VAT)
VIRTUAL COMMITTEES CAPITAL COSTS:
Implementation = £330,824 ex VAT (£396,988 including VAT)
ONLINE BY-ELECTION FOR SELECT COMMITTEE CHAIRS
£3,780 including VAT.
TOTAL REVENUE INCLUDING NON-RECOVERABLE VAT = £745,090
TOTAL CAPITAL INCLUDING VAT = £615,748
GRAND TOTAL = £1,360,838
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what guidance his Department is issuing to employers to prevent them from requiring disabled staff who are at a higher risk to covid-19 virus to go to work.
Answered by Paul Scully
Government worked with a wide range of businesses, unions and representative organisations to draft the guidance on safe return to work, as well as Public Health England and the Health and Safety Executive. The guidance sets out clearly that the Government advice on vulnerable and shielded groups continues to apply, and that equalities matters should still be taken into account.
Clinically vulnerable people who are at higher risk from COVID-19 have been asked to take extra care in observing social distancing. Employers should help these individuals work from home if possible. The guidance sets out that employers should consider whether workers with a disability are exposed to any specific risks, including those who are classed as either “clinically extremely vulnerable” or “clinically vulnerable” to COVID-19. If so, they should take the steps needed to protect those individuals.
The guidance does not replace health and safety or equalities legislation; it provides information to employers on how best to meet these responsibilities in the context of COVID-19.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the National Living Wage to at least the amount recommended by the Living Wage Foundation.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government are committed to building an economy that works for everyone. Through the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and the National Living Wage (NLW), we are ensuring the lowest paid are fairly rewarded for their contribution to the economy.
The Government considers the expert and independent advice of the Low Pay Commission (LPC) when setting the NMW rates. We reward workers with the highest possible minimum wage while considering the impact on the economy and affordability for businesses. As well as looking at living costs, the LPC draws on economic, labour market and pay analysis, independent research and stakeholder evidence.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much the Post Office has spent on refurbishing the Crown Post Office premises in Paisley since January 2010.
Answered by George Freeman
The hon Member recently tabled a Named Day question on this matter.
In my answer of 13 June I advised that this was the operational responsibility of the Post Office and I would ask its Chief Executive, Paula Vennells, to write to the hon Member.
I understand Paula Vennells wrote to the hon Member on 21 June. This letter has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much the Post Office has spent on refurbishing the premises of the Crown Post Office in Paisley since January 2010.
Answered by George Freeman
Post Office Limited runs and manages its directly managed Crown post offices. Changes to the Crown network and arrangements for employees of these offices are the operational responsibility of the Post Office.
I have asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many former Crown post offices which have been franchised have (a) closed and (b) relocated since January 2010.
Answered by George Freeman
Post Office Limited runs and manages its directly managed Crown post offices. Changes to the Crown network and arrangements for employees of these offices are the operational responsibility of the Post Office.
I have asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much the Post Office has spent on settlement agreements and redundancy payments for Crown Office staff since January 2010.
Answered by George Freeman
Post Office Limited runs and manages its directly managed Crown post offices. Changes to the Crown network and arrangements for employees of these offices are the operational responsibility of the Post Office.
I have asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.