Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the compliance of his Department's staff working from home with the Working Time Regulations 1998.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
HM Treasury collects monthly compliance data on how many HMT staff have completed their working hours spreadsheet log, this spreadsheet is designed to be completed daily, including when staff are working from home.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will extend the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme beyond 30 April 2021 to protect viable jobs in the aviation sector.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government will set out the next phase of the plan to tackle the virus and protect jobs at Budget 2021.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Luton South of 24 November 2020 on pay in the civil service and related bodies.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The letter received on 24th November 2020 regarding Civil Service pay concerned a petition in the name of Francesca Heathcote. The government responded to this petition in the debate on the 14th December 2020.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Luton South of 24 November 2020 on pay in the civil service and related bodies.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Member’s correspondence is receiving attention in line with the Cabinet Office’s guidelines for responding to Ministerial correspondence within 20 working days. HM Treasury will have a response with the member in due course.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether employers who have a contractual obligation to pay 100 per cent of employees’ salaries can fulfil this obligation whilst accessing the Job Support Scheme.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Job Support Scheme is designed to protect jobs in businesses which are facing lower demand over the winter months due to COVID-19, to help keep their employees attached to the workforce. Further guidance on eligibility will be published shortly.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals on protecting access to cash.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government remains committed to legislating on cash as announced by the Chancellor at March 2020 Budget. The legislation will ensure continued access to cash for those that rely on it and that the UK’s cash infrastructure is sustainable in the long-term.
The Treasury is working at pace to develop this legislation, and is engaging closely with the Payment Systems Regulator, Financial Conduct Authority and Bank of England, including through the Joint Authorities Cash Strategy Group, to ensure its approach to legislation reflects the needs of cash users across the economy. The authorities are also currently leading an ambitious programme of work with industry to reach consensus on cash access solutions in line with the Government’s objectives.
The Government and regulators are monitoring developments relating to COVID-19 closely, including monitoring the impacts on cash access, and working with industry so that banks, building societies, credit unions and Post Offices maintain essential banking services as needed, including cash access.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department plans to take to protect access to cash.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government remains committed to legislating on cash as announced by the Chancellor at March 2020 Budget. The legislation will ensure continued access to cash for those that rely on it and that the UK’s cash infrastructure is sustainable in the long-term.
The Treasury is working at pace to develop this legislation, and is engaging closely with the Payment Systems Regulator, Financial Conduct Authority and Bank of England, including through the Joint Authorities Cash Strategy Group, to ensure its approach to legislation reflects the needs of cash users across the economy. The authorities are also currently leading an ambitious programme of work with industry to reach consensus on cash access solutions in line with the Government’s objectives.
The Government and regulators are monitoring developments relating to COVID-19 closely, including monitoring the impacts on cash access, and working with industry so that banks, building societies, credit unions and Post Offices maintain essential banking services as needed, including cash access.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has undertaken an impact assessment of the covid-19 pandemic’s effect on access to cash for (a) disabled and (b) elderly people.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government remains committed to legislating on cash as announced by the Chancellor at March 2020 Budget. The legislation will ensure continued access to cash for those that rely on it and that the UK’s cash infrastructure is sustainable in the long-term.
The Treasury is working at pace to develop this legislation, and is engaging closely with the Payment Systems Regulator, Financial Conduct Authority and Bank of England, including through the Joint Authorities Cash Strategy Group, to ensure its approach to legislation reflects the needs of cash users across the economy. The authorities are also currently leading an ambitious programme of work with industry to reach consensus on cash access solutions in line with the Government’s objectives.
The Government and regulators are monitoring developments relating to COVID-19 closely, including monitoring the impacts on cash access, and working with industry so that banks, building societies, credit unions and Post Offices maintain essential banking services as needed, including cash access.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer on 15 May 2020 to Question 43779 on Civil Servants, at how many multi-hub locations employees of his Department work together with employees of another Department or agency in London managed by the Government Property Agency; what the addresses are of those locations; and what other Departments and agencies employ staff at those locations.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
I refer the Hon. member to the answer given to PQ 54314 on 12 June 2020.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that furloughed employees of umbrella companies receive a payment that is 80 per cent of the income that they received before the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Since the Government announced the unprecedented Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), over 8.9m jobs have been furloughed, helping over 1 million employers keep people in employment.
The CJRS covers employees on any type of contract and is open to any individual who was on an employer’s PAYE payroll on 19 March 2020, provided that HMRC received an RTI submission notifying payment in respect of that employee on or before 19 March 2020. Where agency workers (including those employed by umbrella companies) are paid through PAYE, they are eligible to be furloughed and receive support through the scheme.
Depending on the circumstances, either the agency or umbrella company can apply through CJRS for a grant that covers 80% of furloughed employees’ usual monthly wage costs, up to £2,500 a month, plus the associated Employer National Insurance contributions and pension contributions.
Further guidance for employers and employees can be found on GOV.UK.