Contributions
1,763 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCoronavirus: Employment SupportI take the challenge from my hon. Friend in the spirit in which it was intended. There is no sense that the Treasury is trying to over-engineer anything. We are not trying to…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCoronavirus: Employment SupportMy hon. Friend makes a reasonable point about the hospitality sector, and a very credible suggestion with respect to VAT. Across the benefits system and the tax system, we are…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCoronavirus: Employment SupportThe Government will do whatever it takes, but we also want to make sure that when we do it, it will be effective. The hon. Gentleman made a specific point about statutory sick…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCoronavirus: Employment SupportAs ever, my hon. Friend makes a sensible suggestion. I will look at it carefully.19 Mar 2020HANSARDCoronavirus: Employment SupportI accept the hon. Gentleman’s frustration, but characterising the Government as not having a clue misrepresents the situation considerably. There are a large number of issues that…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCoronavirus: Employment SupportMy right hon. Friend makes some very reasonable points about the tourism sector just down the road from my constituency. The issue of what we do to support sectors that are…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCoronavirus: Employment SupportThe hon. Lady is right with respect to the role that charities play across our communities, binding communities together and working closely with local authorities. My colleague…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCoronavirus: Employment SupportAs I said to the hon. Member for Edinburgh East (Tommy Sheppard), people have access to an HMRC support line, which is properly manned and up and running. That should give them…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCoronavirus: Employment SupportI thank my right hon. Friend for that question. Of course I will.19 Mar 2020HANSARDCoronavirus: Employment SupportThe hon. Lady makes a reasonable point about the concerns that are being raised. That is why the Cabinet Office will give further advice today on key workers and the support that…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCoronavirus: Employment SupportMy hon. Friend refers to the loans. I was meeting the banks last night to make sure that these loans are accessible. The criteria for issuing them are based on the solvency of…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCoronavirus: Employment SupportEvery day, Ministers across all Departments are working on different aspects of the package. Yesterday my right hon. Friend the Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCoronavirus: Employment SupportI thank my hon. Friend for her suggestions. Obviously, we have made a specific package of interventions available in the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors. We also have the…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCoronavirus: Employment SupportI understand the hon. Lady’s frustration. It is totally reasonable for Members of this House to be extremely concerned in the absence of the announcement, but it would be even…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCoronavirus: Employment SupportI thank my right hon. Friend for his observations. He is right, but there is no sense that the Government are saying that what we have announced is the last announcement we are…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCoronavirus: Employment SupportThe hon. Gentleman is right to express the deep frustration of people in that sector, and I am sure his words resonate across the House. We have put in resources for 2,000 people…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCoronavirus: Employment SupportThe right hon. Gentleman makes some specific points essentially about the consequential effects on different groups of employees who are affected. I cannot comment on the details…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCoronavirus: Employment SupportMy hon. and gallant Friend is right to raise that. We have changed the rules on access to employment support allowance and sick pay. It will depend on individual circumstances. We…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCoronavirus: Employment SupportI am grateful to my right hon. Friend, who has unrivalled experience in this area. He makes some very reasonable points, and we are looking very carefully at all the options. As I…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCoronavirus: Employment SupportIt is in order for the hon. Gentleman to raise those points, and he is right to draw attention to the experience in Denmark. Throughout this crisis, the Government have acted on…19 Mar 2020