Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make it his policy to introduce a (a) two year multi-entry touring visa for musicians, (b) temporary exemption from duty for the transportation of instruments and equipment and (c) an expansion of the list of CITES-designated points of entry and exit.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
DCMS has engaged extensively with union bodies, companies, orchestras, individual musical practitioners and cultural organisations. We understand the importance of being able to tour. We recognise that this depends on musicians and crew being able to move quickly and easily between countries, taking necessary equipment with them.
We want a relationship with the EU based on friendly cooperation. On temporary entry for business purposes (mode 4), a reciprocal agreement based on best precedent will mean that UK citizens will be able to undertake some business activities in the EU without a work permit, on a short-term basis. The same would apply for EU citizens making business visits to the UK. The precise details, including range of activities, documentation needed, and the time limit, will be negotiated.
There are several options currently available which allow certain goods to be imported temporarily into the UK from outside the EU without payment of duties, subject to certain conditions. These include ATA Carnet and Temporary Admission (TA). Similarly there are options, including ATA Carnet and Returned Goods Relief (RGR), that allow certain goods to be reimported to the UK following temporary export to another customs territory without payment of duties. At the end of the Transition Period, ATA Carnets, RGR and TA will all become options for temporarily moving musical instruments and equipment between the UK and EU.
DEFRA has already expanded the list of CITES-designated points of entry and exit available post Transition Period to a total of 29. They will continue to work with port operators, Border Force, and industry to analyse trade flows and will designate further PoE where there is clear evidence of benefit to the UK.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason claimants of universal credit under the age of 25 receive a lower rate than claimants over the age of 25.
Answered by Will Quince
We have injected over £6.5bn into the welfare system, including increasing Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit by up to £1,040 a year for everyone. This was in addition to the 1.7 per cent inflation increase which was part of the Government’s decision to end the benefits freeze meaning more financial support for millions of people across the UK, including those under 25.
The Universal Credit rate for under 25s reflects the lower wages that younger workers typically receive.
Universal Credit also includes separate elements to provide support for housing costs, children and childcare costs and support for disabled people and carers. These additional amounts are provided to claimants at the same level irrespective of age.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with Scottish universities on the Government's 4 May 2020 announcement on student number controls.
Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland
Funding decisions affecting students who live in England are for the Department of Education to determine, however Scotland Office Ministers and officials have had a number of discussions with Universities Scotland on this matter.
In those discussions we have reiterated the point that the Scottish Government has a responsibility to ensure that the university sector in Scotland is properly funded.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he made an assessment of the implications for Scottish universities of his policy on student number controls announced on 4 May 2020.
Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, and I have regular meetings with Scottish ministers, and ministers from all the devolved administrations, about higher education issues. These discussions have included the development of student number controls policy. Departmental officials also have regular meetings and discussions with their counterparts.
Student number controls are a direct response to COVID-19. They are designed to minimise the impact to the financial threat posed by the outbreak and form a key part of the package of measures to stabilise the admissions system. We want to make sure that university places are available to all who are qualified by ability and attainment to pursue them and who wish to do so.
These controls are a temporary measure and will be in place for one academic year only. Student number controls for institutions in the devolved administrations only apply to the number of English-domiciled entrants who will be supported with their tuition fees through the Student Loans Company, and are set at a level which will allow every institution to take more first year English students than they took last year. The funding of English-domiciled students is not a devolved matter, and it is right and fair that this policy should apply as consistently as possible wherever they are studying in the UK.
Ministers will continue to work closely with the devolved administrations on strengthening and stabilising the higher education system following the COVID-19 outbreak.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he had with the (a) Scottish Government and (b) Scottish Funding Council prior to his announcement of 4 May 2020 that student number controls would be implemented in Scottish universities.
Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, and I have regular meetings with Scottish ministers, and ministers from all the devolved administrations, about higher education issues. These discussions have included the development of student number controls policy. Departmental officials also have regular meetings and discussions with their counterparts.
Student number controls are a direct response to COVID-19. They are designed to minimise the impact to the financial threat posed by the outbreak and form a key part of the package of measures to stabilise the admissions system. We want to make sure that university places are available to all who are qualified by ability and attainment to pursue them and who wish to do so.
These controls are a temporary measure and will be in place for one academic year only. Student number controls for institutions in the devolved administrations only apply to the number of English-domiciled entrants who will be supported with their tuition fees through the Student Loans Company, and are set at a level which will allow every institution to take more first year English students than they took last year. The funding of English-domiciled students is not a devolved matter, and it is right and fair that this policy should apply as consistently as possible wherever they are studying in the UK.
Ministers will continue to work closely with the devolved administrations on strengthening and stabilising the higher education system following the COVID-19 outbreak.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what representations he has made to Cabinet colleagues in relation to people in Scotland who are in temporary accommodation provided by Mears Group and funded by the Home Office.
Answered by Iain Stewart
The Secretary of State for Scotland is in contact with the Prime Minister and Home Secretary on a range of immigration issues of importance to Scotland.
Just like everyone else in the country, asylum seekers have been asked to stay in their accommodation to help in the fight against Coronavirus, which has increased the amount of accommodation needed to do so safely. The use of contingency accommodation is an exceptional response to exceptional circumstances.
Since the start of the current pandemic, the Home Office has been in daily contact with service providers to ensure that the Government continues to meet its statutory obligation to house destitute asylum seekers and to ensure that all contracted support services are delivered and service users are housed safely. As we emerge from lockdown measures, work has begun in Glasgow to move people out of hotels back into longer term accommodation.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to allocate financial support to the music industry to help recovery from the effects of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
On Sunday 5 July 2020, the Secretary of State announced a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range of cultural and creative sectors, including music.
We are working closely with DCMS’ Arm’s Length Bodies to develop guidance indicating who can apply for the different elements of this funding, and we will publish detailed guidance as soon as possible in July.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what contribution his Department has made to television broadcasts on covid-19 advice issued by the UK Government and aired in Scotland.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The COVID-19 Communications Hub in the Cabinet Office has been working closely with the four nations on the development and delivery of the campaign. There are regular meetings on a weekly basis between central communications teams and those in the devolved administrations at both a senior and operational level. Before communications are aired in the nations, the devolved administrations have sight and are invited to input changes to ensure COVID-19 messaging is tailored to suit audiences in their respective nations.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will suspend the 40 year rule that applies to the records of the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group; and if he will publish those records.
Answered by Nigel Adams
At the time of the handover of Hong Kong, the then Lord Chancellor decided that certain Hong Kong records should be retained for 50 years from 1997 without decennial review, due to their sensitivity. We are not seeking to amend this decision.
Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to provide support to young people between the ages of 18 and 24 who are disproportionately financially affected by the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We acknowledge that it is important that Jobcentres continue to support young people through the economic recovery post-COVID-19. They have already started to re-engage with new and existing claimants and are signposting them to appropriate support.
Anyone over the age of 18 can claim New Style Employment and Support Allowance and Jobseeker’s Allowance if they have sufficient paid National Insurance contributions. Neither of those benefits is means-tested. Those on low incomes and with limited capital can claim Universal Credit or legacy Jobseeker’s Allowance.
For Universal Credit, New Claims Advances of up to 100% of potential entitlement are available within a few days if a claimant needs support during their first assessment period. Face-to-face checks for Universal Credit advances have been scrapped due to Covid-19, so people get the support they need despite COVID-19 restrictions. We have also increased the Standard Allowance for everyone by over £80 a month on top of the existing 1.7% (CPI) increase already announced. This additional increase means all claimants will be up to £1040 better off.
DWP is also engaging with a number of external stakeholders including the Youth Employment Group (set up by the Prince’s Trust, Youth Employment UK, the Institute for Employment Studies, the Youth Futures Foundation and Impetus) as well as continuing to work across Whitehall to develop appropriate support aimed at young people.