Covid-19 Support for Businesses 2020-03-24
2020-03-24
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
Mark Pritchard highlights the significant number of self-employed workers in the UK and The Wrekin.
On behalf of my constituents, I welcome those announcements. The Chancellor is aware that 15% of the UK workforce is self-employed, equating to about 5 million people up and down the country. According to the Federation of Small Businesses, there are 5,600 in The Wrekin. Given this context, when will the Government come forward with plans for the self-employed and freelancers, given their urgent need?
I thank my hon. Friend for the question. I will be making further announcements about progress on these measures. We are in intense dialogue with all key stakeholder groups, including calls today with several bodies. While designing a scheme analogous to the one for employed workers is complex due to practical and principled reasons, we understand the situation self-employed people face and are determined to support them fairly and deliverably.
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Q2
Direct Answer
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Context
Detected that 15% of the UK workforce is self-employed, equating to about 5 million people. In The Wrekin, there are 5,600.
When will the Government come forward with plans for the self-employed and freelancers, given the immediacy of their need?
We are looking at these things. We are in dialogue with all key stakeholder groups including calls with several bodies today. The scheme is complicated to design, but we understand the situation and will find a way to support them while ensuring it is deliverable and fair.
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Q3
Direct Answer
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Inquires about using the tax and welfare system to roll out a universal basic income.
Will he consider using the tax and welfare system to roll out a universal basic income in these times?
We are not in favour of a universal basic income, but we have strengthened safety net with over £7 billion invested into improving welfare system this year including improvements to universal credit, employment support allowance and local housing allowance.
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Q4
Direct Answer
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The Isles of Scilly, unique in relying on private companies for travel and supplies, face a collapse of tourist trade.
Can the Chancellor look at this issue urgently to ensure 2,500 people's transport infrastructure system is sustained?
Happy to talk further about his constituency issue. We have committed to providing local authorities with funding required to support public services including local transport infrastructure in their communities.
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Q5
Direct Answer
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Acknowledges the measures announced last week but highlights anxiety among those not benefiting, particularly the 5 million self-employed.
How quickly can he implement support measures to reassure them about cash-flow crisis?
Looking at pace of delivery. Challenge is targeting support within varied universe of 5 million self-employed. We are looking to build a new system, prioritising scheme for employed workforce first, ideally by end of April. Deferring self-assessment tax return and VAT helps with cash flow.
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