Robert Halfon

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers given to PQ 33512 on 21 April 2020, PQ 40655 on 11 May 2020, PQ 45460 on 18 May 2020, and PQ 46692 on 29 May 2020.

OmniGOV is the appointed agency responsible for media buying across all Government campaigns. In performing this role, they are responsible for ensuring campaigns are delivered both effectively and cost-efficiently. Titles for this campaign are selected by OmniGOV based on their ability to communicate in a measurable and effective way with audiences at a national, regional and local level.

The press partnership is designed to support the printed media and to reach older audiences and audiences which consume less online media. The partnership has also been structured deliberately to favour smaller regional and local titles. We have not selected digital-only titles because we are already investing heavily in digital advertising. Every title is assessed by OmniGOV and by our media auditors.

Cabinet Office is continuously tracking and reviewing spending on cross-government campaigns, including Covid-19, to ensure our communications are efficient. Our Covid-19 messages have reached 95% of adults on average 17 times per week.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers given to PQ 33512 on 21 April 2020, PQ 40655 on 11 May 2020, PQ 45460 on 18 May 2020, and PQ 46692 on 29 May 2020.

OmniGOV is the appointed agency responsible for media buying across all Government campaigns. In performing this role, they are responsible for ensuring campaigns are delivered both effectively and cost-efficiently. Titles for this campaign are selected by OmniGOV based on their ability to communicate in a measurable and effective way with audiences at a national, regional and local level.

The press partnership is designed to support the printed media and to reach older audiences and audiences which consume less online media. The partnership has also been structured deliberately to favour smaller regional and local titles. We have not selected digital-only titles because we are already investing heavily in digital advertising. Every title is assessed by OmniGOV and by our media auditors.

Cabinet Office is continuously tracking and reviewing spending on cross-government campaigns, including Covid-19, to ensure our communications are efficient. Our Covid-19 messages have reached 95% of adults on average 17 times per week.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers given to PQ 33512 on 21 April 2020, PQ 40655 on 11 May 2020, PQ 45460 on 18 May 2020, and PQ 46692 on 29 May 2020.

OmniGOV is the appointed agency responsible for media buying across all Government campaigns. In performing this role, they are responsible for ensuring campaigns are delivered both effectively and cost-efficiently. Titles for this campaign are selected by OmniGOV based on their ability to communicate in a measurable and effective way with audiences at a national, regional and local level.

The press partnership is designed to support the printed media and to reach older audiences and audiences which consume less online media. The partnership has also been structured deliberately to favour smaller regional and local titles. We have not selected digital-only titles because we are already investing heavily in digital advertising. Every title is assessed by OmniGOV and by our media auditors.

Cabinet Office is continuously tracking and reviewing spending on cross-government campaigns, including Covid-19, to ensure our communications are efficient. Our Covid-19 messages have reached 95% of adults on average 17 times per week.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers given to PQ 33512 on 21 April 2020, PQ 40655 on 11 May 2020, PQ 45460 on 18 May 2020, and PQ 46692 on 29 May 2020.

OmniGOV is the appointed agency responsible for media buying across all Government campaigns. In performing this role, they are responsible for ensuring campaigns are delivered both effectively and cost-efficiently. Titles for this campaign are selected by OmniGOV based on their ability to communicate in a measurable and effective way with audiences at a national, regional and local level.

The press partnership is designed to support the printed media and to reach older audiences and audiences which consume less online media. The partnership has also been structured deliberately to favour smaller regional and local titles. We have not selected digital-only titles because we are already investing heavily in digital advertising. Every title is assessed by OmniGOV and by our media auditors.

Cabinet Office is continuously tracking and reviewing spending on cross-government campaigns, including Covid-19, to ensure our communications are efficient. Our Covid-19 messages have reached 95% of adults on average 17 times per week.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers given to PQ 33512 on 21 April 2020, PQ 40655 on 11 May 2020, PQ 45460 on 18 May 2020, and PQ 46692 on 29 May 2020.

OmniGOV is the appointed agency responsible for media buying across all Government campaigns. In performing this role, they are responsible for ensuring campaigns are delivered both effectively and cost-efficiently. Titles for this campaign are selected by OmniGOV based on their ability to communicate in a measurable and effective way with audiences at a national, regional and local level.

The press partnership is designed to support the printed media and to reach older audiences and audiences which consume less online media. The partnership has also been structured deliberately to favour smaller regional and local titles. We have not selected digital-only titles because we are already investing heavily in digital advertising. Every title is assessed by OmniGOV and by our media auditors.

Cabinet Office is continuously tracking and reviewing spending on cross-government campaigns, including Covid-19, to ensure our communications are efficient. Our Covid-19 messages have reached 95% of adults on average 17 times per week.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers given to PQ 33512 on 21 April 2020, PQ 40655 on 11 May 2020, PQ 45460 on 18 May 2020, and PQ 46692 on 29 May 2020.

OmniGOV is the appointed agency responsible for media buying across all Government campaigns. In performing this role, they are responsible for ensuring campaigns are delivered both effectively and cost-efficiently. Titles for this campaign are selected by OmniGOV based on their ability to communicate in a measurable and effective way with audiences at a national, regional and local level.

The press partnership is designed to support the printed media and to reach older audiences and audiences which consume less online media. The partnership has also been structured deliberately to favour smaller regional and local titles. We have not selected digital-only titles because we are already investing heavily in digital advertising. Every title is assessed by OmniGOV and by our media auditors.

Cabinet Office is continuously tracking and reviewing spending on cross-government campaigns, including Covid-19, to ensure our communications are efficient. Our Covid-19 messages have reached 95% of adults on average 17 times per week.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers given to PQ 33512 on 21 April 2020, PQ 40655 on 11 May 2020, PQ 45460 on 18 May 2020, and PQ 46692 on 29 May 2020.

OmniGOV is the appointed agency responsible for media buying across all Government campaigns. In performing this role, they are responsible for ensuring campaigns are delivered both effectively and cost-efficiently. Titles for this campaign are selected by OmniGOV based on their ability to communicate in a measurable and effective way with audiences at a national, regional and local level.

The press partnership is designed to support the printed media and to reach older audiences and audiences which consume less online media. The partnership has also been structured deliberately to favour smaller regional and local titles. We have not selected digital-only titles because we are already investing heavily in digital advertising. Every title is assessed by OmniGOV and by our media auditors.

Cabinet Office is continuously tracking and reviewing spending on cross-government campaigns, including Covid-19, to ensure our communications are efficient. Our Covid-19 messages have reached 95% of adults on average 17 times per week.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers given to PQ 33512 on 21 April 2020, PQ 40655 on 11 May 2020, PQ 45460 on 18 May 2020, and PQ 46692 on 29 May 2020.

OmniGOV is the appointed agency responsible for media buying across all Government campaigns. In performing this role, they are responsible for ensuring campaigns are delivered both effectively and cost-efficiently. Titles for this campaign are selected by OmniGOV based on their ability to communicate in a measurable and effective way with audiences at a national, regional and local level.

The press partnership is designed to support the printed media and to reach older audiences and audiences which consume less online media. The partnership has also been structured deliberately to favour smaller regional and local titles. We have not selected digital-only titles because we are already investing heavily in digital advertising. Every title is assessed by OmniGOV and by our media auditors.

Cabinet Office is continuously tracking and reviewing spending on cross-government campaigns, including Covid-19, to ensure our communications are efficient. Our Covid-19 messages have reached 95% of adults on average 17 times per week.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers given to PQ 33512 on 21 April 2020, PQ 40655 on 11 May 2020, PQ 45460 on 18 May 2020, and PQ 46692 on 29 May 2020.

OmniGOV is the appointed agency responsible for media buying across all Government campaigns. In performing this role, they are responsible for ensuring campaigns are delivered both effectively and cost-efficiently. Titles for this campaign are selected by OmniGOV based on their ability to communicate in a measurable and effective way with audiences at a national, regional and local level.

The press partnership is designed to support the printed media and to reach older audiences and audiences which consume less online media. The partnership has also been structured deliberately to favour smaller regional and local titles. We have not selected digital-only titles because we are already investing heavily in digital advertising. Every title is assessed by OmniGOV and by our media auditors.

Cabinet Office is continuously tracking and reviewing spending on cross-government campaigns, including Covid-19, to ensure our communications are efficient. Our Covid-19 messages have reached 95% of adults on average 17 times per week.

As of 31 March 2020, the Civil Service has achieved a total of 2.1% of its total workforce as apprentices. Since 1 April 2020, Cabinet Office has achieved c.1% apprentice starts representing more apprentice starts at this stage in the financial year than in previous years. We run regular recruitment campaigns for apprentices; with a new campaign being advertised this week. The data for 2018/19 can be found here. The data for 2019/20 will be released on gov.uk by the end of September 2020.

Departments are committed to increasing the number of apprentices across the Civil Service and continue to work towards the 2.3% target. The current pandemic has had an impact on the Cabinet Office’s apprenticeship ambition due to priority work and logistics. With the current strategy and targets coming to an end in April 2021, the Civil Service is already focusing on how to continue to support the apprenticeship agenda and drive forward apprenticeship recruitment, pulling on the Plan for Jobs initiative and considering the current economic situation.

The Government is working closely with stakeholders in the wedding industry, the Places of Worship Taskforce, and the National Panel for Registration to keep our COVID-19 secure marriages and civil partnerships policies and guidance under review.

From 15 August 2020 receptions and other celebrations for weddings and civil partnerships can take place in a COVID-19 secure venue, however, this does not apply in areas under local restrictions. Capacity at wedding or civil partnership ceremonies (including the couple, guests, and third-party suppliers, but not venue staff or third-party catering staff) should be no more than 30 and safely accommodated with social distancing in a COVID-19 secure venue. We will reassess guidance in relation to larger wedding receptions in line with the development of the scientific advice. Further guidance on wedding and civil partnership ceremonies and receptions can be found here.

The Government is working closely with stakeholders in the wedding industry, the Places of Worship Taskforce, and the National Panel for Registration to keep our COVID-19 secure marriages and civil partnerships policies and guidance under review.

From 15 August 2020 receptions and other celebrations for weddings and civil partnerships can take place in a COVID-19 secure venue, however, this does not apply in areas under local restrictions. Capacity at wedding or civil partnership ceremonies (including the couple, guests, and third-party suppliers, but not venue staff or third-party catering staff) should be no more than 30 and safely accommodated with social distancing in a COVID-19 secure venue. We will reassess guidance in relation to larger wedding receptions in line with the development of the scientific advice. Further guidance on wedding and civil partnership ceremonies and receptions can be found here.

The Cabinet Office supports the use of apprenticeships as a means of building expertise, filling skills gaps and improving the diversity of our talent pool. The Department is in the final year of a three-year action plan to increase the number of apprenticeships in the Department. We run regular recruitment campaigns for apprentices.

Grant agreement terms and conditions prohibit grant funding being used for paid for lobbying and political campaigning.

Data regarding Cabinet Office funding in 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 is published in the Government Grants register on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-grants-register. Data for the 2018/2019 financial year will be published in due course.

Businesses in Harlow will continue to benefit from a range of government programmes, including start up loans and support delivered through the Essex Growth Hub. Additionally, the £23.7m Harlow Town Deal will encourage new business investment into the town.

The Department regularly meets with representatives from across the hospitality sector to discuss how it can recover and build back from the pandemic. We have provided an unprecedented support package of £352 billion, including grants, loans, business rates relief, VAT cuts and the job retention scheme, which hospitality businesses have access to. We have published a new Hospitality Strategy: Reopening, Recovery, Resilience to ensure England’s pubs, bars, restaurants and other hospitality venues can thrive long-term.

My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer set out further steps to help the economy recover in the Autumn Budget. These included extending the Recovery Loan Scheme until June 2022, providing over £1 billion to ensure businesses can continue to access loans and other finance, and a 50% business rates discount for hospitality businesses for the year 2022-23. Pubs will directly benefit from draught beer and cider cuts by 5%, as well as simplifying alcohol duty and freezing duty rates on beer, cider, wine and spirits.

Throughout the pandemic, BEIS officials have worked closely with Local Authorities to ensure that grants are delivered as quickly as possible, while safeguarding public funds. As the range of grants available has increased, officials have continued regular briefings with all 314 Local Authorities. Ministers have also held regular conversations with leaders and chief executives.

We have published data that shows as of 17 January, £143 million has been paid out by Local Authorities to businesses in England through the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) scheme, and that figure increases every day. My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced a £425 million top-up to the ARG, to be allocated to Local Authorities which have spent their existing allocations by 30 June 2021.

The Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) is a discretionary scheme aimed at supporting businesses, including those that have not been mandated to close but have had their trade adversely affected by the nationalised restrictions. At the Budget on 3rd March, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced an additional £425 million will be made available via the ARG, meaning that more than £2 billion has been made available to Local Authorities since November 2020.

As at 18 December, 2020, Harlow Council had been allocated £1,741,340 in ARG funding. All data on Government allocations and Local Authority payments of the ARG is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-grant-funding-local-authority-payments-to-small-and-medium-businesses.

The Government is committed to ensuring that only safe electrical goods can be sold in the UK. All distributors have a duty to act with due care to ensure products they are selling are safe, this includes online retailers selling goods via marketplaces.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is engaging proactively with major online marketplaces to ensure that they are playing their part in protecting UK consumers from unsafe products. The OPSS has recently taken action to ensure that a number of non-compliant products being sold by overseas third-party sellers have been removed from sale, including electrical appliances.

The OPSS is also developing a new voluntary commitment for online marketplaces to agree actions they will take to reduce the risks from unsafe products being sold online. This will enable online marketplaces to demonstrate their commitment to the safety of their consumers in the UK by publicly promising to work with UK regulators.

In order to ensure that the UK’s Product Safety framework is flexible and fit for the future, the OPSS is conducting a review. This will ensure we have a framework that delivers safety for consumers while supporting businesses to innovate and grow and will consider the impact on product safety (including electrical goods) of new business models such as third-party sales through online marketplaces.

The Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) was announced in November 2020 to support businesses in England that are not mandated to close but are severely affected by Covid-19 restrictions. An initial £1.1 billion was allocated to Local Authorities to deliver to businesses under this scheme, and a further £500 million in top-up ARG funding was announced in response to the national restrictions that began on 5 January.

This funding is shared between all Local Authorities and they have the discretion to use the ARG scheme to help businesses in the way they see fit. We are working closely with Local Authorities to ensure that support is delivered to businesses that are in scope as quickly as possible. We are not able to share a breakdown of the funding allocated and distributed by Harlow Council at this stage. We will publish information on the scheme as a whole in due course.

The Department gives full regard to the public sector apprenticeship target. The Department, and each of the Executive Agencies that contribute to our target, have apprenticeship plans that focus on specific capability needs and skills.

Departmental progress towards the 2.3% target is published annually on GOV.UK.

Data for 2017-18 is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-apprenticeship-data-2017-to-2018.

Data for 2018-19 is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-apprenticeship-data-2018-to-2019.

Data for 2019-20 will be published at the end of September 2020.

We are committed to increasing the number of apprentices and we are working towards the 2.3% target. The impact of the current pandemic has slowed recruitment due to priority work and logistics. With the current strategy and targets coming to an end in April 2021, the Department is already focusing on how best to support the apprenticeship agenda and drive forward apprentice recruitment.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has worked closely with representatives from the hair and beauty industry to ensure that they could reopen safely as soon as it was possible to do so and based on the evolving science. We are pleased that the industry has now reopened.

While the industry was forced to close, the Government put in place an unprecedented package of financial support which was available to those working in the beauty industry.

The Green Homes Grant scheme will be available from the 30^th September. The scheme has been designed to encourage homeowners to consider improving the energy efficiency of their homes (something we know lots of households put at the bottom of their list of priorities because of the cost), and focus on those measures which give greatest thermal benefits and carbon reductions, but which consumers are typically less likely to install on their own. Therefore, retrospective claims will not be eligible.

The Department gives full regard to the public sector apprenticeship target. The Department, and each of the Executive Agencies that contributes to the Department’s target, have apprenticeship plans that focus on their specific capability needs and skills.

Together, we are promoting apprenticeships as a means of recruiting new and diverse talent. This includes exploring which roles are suitable for apprentices, and broadening our reach by advertising apprentice vacancies on the Government’s ‘Recruit an Apprentice’ service. The Department also promotes and encourages apprenticeships as a route for existing staff to build capability and develop new skills.

The Department, our Executive Agencies, and our wider public sector Partner Organisations, share our ideas and experience of delivering against the apprenticeship agenda, to build our apprentice numbers.

The Department offers a wide range of apprenticeships from Level 3 to Level 7. This week, our Permanent Secretary held a virtual “Meet and Greet” with apprentices, celebrating the great work that they do for the Department. We also celebrate the work of our apprentices and promote further use of apprenticeships through an annual Apprenticeship Awards ceremony.

The Government has published safer working guidance on 23 June for close contact services, including beauty and tanning salons. Following my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s announcement, hairdressers and barbers in England will be able to reopen from 4 July, to offer hairdressing services, once they are following the COVID-secure guidelines. Other close contact services, like beauty and tanning salons, remain closed until further notice.

We are taking a phased, cautious approach to reopening our economy, working with businesses, trade associations and medical experts on the safest way to reopen close contact services like beauty and tanning salons where there is often greater risk of transmission due to prolonged periods of face-to-face contact and close proximity between staff and customers. We intend to allow close contact services to re-open as soon as it is safe to do so.

We have been taking a phased, cautious approach to reopening our economy, so that we do not risk a second peak of the virus. On 23 June, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced details of businesses which would be allowed to reopen on 4 July, provided they are COVID-secure.

For those close contact businesses not opening on 4 July, such as tanning salons, we will be working closely to support those sectors and will set out further information in due course.

On 23 June, we published COVID-19 secure guidance for businesses in close contact services which will help businesses such as tanning salons prepare for reopening.

On 13 May, five ministerial-led taskforces were set up to develop plans for how closed sectors could reopen safely, including Close Contact Services such as tanning and beauty salons.

As part of this work, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is engaging constructively with the Close Contact Services industry to develop guidance for them to reopen safely, given the higher risk of transmission in these environments where long periods of person to person contact is required. This work is progressing well.

In order to further reduce the spread of the virus, on Friday 20 March, the Government told all businesses and venues in which activity necessitates prolonged social contact to close. This decision reflected clinical advice that the spread of infection is likely where people are in close contact for more than 15 minutes.

That is why, on 23 March, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced increased measures to reduce social contact and expanded the list of business that should close immediately to include hairdressers, beauty and nail Salons.

The majority of the Department’s funds have been allocated through our partner organisations to bodies which are classified as part of civil society, since that definition includes universities. Further details are set out in the Department’s accounts and those of our partner organisations. We do not specifically fund campaigning bodies.

The Government-backed British Business Bank helps to drive economic growth by making finance markets work better for smaller businesses, enabling them to prosper and grow. The British Business Bank is currently supporting over £7.2bn of finance to over 93,000 SMEs across the UK (as at September 2019). The Bank’s Online Finance Hub offers independent and impartial information on different finance options, helping smaller businesses to identify the right finance options for their needs.

The Bank’s Start Up Loans programme has delivered over 69,000 loans worth over £565m since it was established in 2012. In Harlow, the programme has delivered 75 loans worth over £598,000. Each Start Up Loan comes with 12 months free mentoring and support.

Harlow has also been invited to develop proposals a Town Deal of up to £25 million. The new Town Board met for the first time in January and is developing a Town Investment Plan. The Towns Fund will address various town centre issues, including business environment.

The objective of the Towns Fund is to drive the economic regeneration of towns to deliver long term economic and productivity growth, including through ensuring towns have the space to support small business development.

Harlow Enterprise Zone (EZ) is one of 45 government-designated EZs which aim to incentivise small business start-ups and growth principally by offering business rates relief and simplified planning. Key objectives include attracting increased inward investment, and the creation of job opportunities for local residents.

Government supports a network of 38 Growth Hubs across England, which offer free expert advice to on the most suitable business finance as well as access to regional and national organisations and networks. Businesses in Harlow and across Essex are encouraged to access support and advice at South East Business Hub^[1].

Harlow firms are also encouraged to access the BEST (Essex) Growth Hub. Although physically based in Southend, the Growth Hub’s services are available to Harlow businesses.

The recently launched Government’s own Business Support Website brings together on one new and easy-to-use site, information, support and advice to businesses in England. The support is organised around four themes: Finance and business planning; Leadership and talent; Innovation and technology; and Exporting. The site also offers a live web chat facility with business advisers and the Business Support Helpline – 0300 456 3565.

[1] https://southeastbusiness.org.uk/

We do not hold information on UK-based businesses operating in the Kurdistan Region in Iraq. Advice for businesses wishing to do business in Iraq, including the Kurdistan region, is available on Gov.uk.