Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

Simon Baynes Excerpts
Tuesday 1st December 2020

(3 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Stephen Metcalfe Portrait Stephen Metcalfe (South Basildon and East Thurrock) (Con)
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What steps his Department is taking to support self-employed people affected by the covid-19 outbreak.

Simon Baynes Portrait Simon Baynes (Clwyd South) (Con)
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What steps his Department is taking to support self-employed people affected by the covid-19 outbreak.

Robert Neill Portrait Sir Robert Neill (Bromley and Chislehurst) (Con)
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What steps he is taking to support freelancers during the covid-19 outbreak.

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Jesse Norman Portrait Jesse Norman
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I should make it perfectly clear to my hon. Friend, as the Chancellor has, that we take these points extremely seriously. We have been given many different suggestions over the past few months for ways in which we could accommodate these concerns. We have looked at them very closely, and so far we have struggled to find one that meets the need to avoid the fraud risk that bedevils this concern. I responded last week to the latest request to meet from the Federation of Small Businesses, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and Forgotten Ltd to explore the latest of these schemes. I have also said that I would be happy to meet the all-party parliamentary group, alongside ExcludedUK, to address these questions.

Simon Baynes Portrait Simon Baynes
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When will the recently announced increase in the coronavirus business interruption loan scheme term from six to 10 years come into effect? That is of particular importance to businesses that have been hard hit by the crisis, such as the wedding venue and hospitality sectors in Clwyd South and elsewhere in the UK.

Jesse Norman Portrait Jesse Norman
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We of course recognise the concerns that my hon. Friend raises. We should be clear that the purpose of this extension is not simply to allow borrowers to request a 10-year term. It is that the guarantee offered by the Government on these schemes should be extended up to 10 years where lenders deem that a forbearance tool that borrowers may need and benefit from. My colleagues are working at pace with the British Business Bank to implement the policy in line with state aid rules.