Self-employed People Covid-19 2020-10-20

2020-10-20

TAGS
Response quality

Questions & Answers

Q1 Partial Answer
Taiwo Owatemi Lab
Coventry North West
Context
The MP is concerned about the adequacy of the extension to the self-employed income support scheme.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the extension of the self-employment income support scheme. The scheme was recently extended but constituents are worried it may not be adequate for their needs, especially with reduced financial support.
The Government have taken unprecedented steps to support the self-employed, as the House will be aware. So far, the Government have paid out £13.4 billion of support through the self-employment income support scheme.
Assessment & feedback
Evaluation of adequacy and future plans for improvement were not addressed
Response accuracy
Q2 Partial Answer
Context
A local band highlighted issues faced by self-employed musicians, raising the need for either a freelance support scheme or a box office top-up.
I recently had a Zoom call with Deborah Annetts, the CEO of the Incorporated Society of Musicians, and Jordan and Steve from a local Northampton band called The Keepers. They highlighted the problems that self-employed musicians currently face. Will my right hon. Friend support struggling musicians such as The Keepers by considering either a freelance support scheme or a box office top-up to help to make socially distanced gigs feasible?
I thank my hon. Friend for his question. With a name like Jesse Norman—my hon. Friend will know that there was an American opera singer, now alas dead, of the same name—and as someone who has been involved in arts organisations and, indeed, as a pretty incompetent musician myself, I am extremely aware of the concern that he raises, and rightly so. He will know that the Government have announced a £1.57 billion culture recovery fund, of which some £330 million has been awarded to date to nearly 2,000 cultural organisations. That funding is designed to help performances to restart, to protect jobs and to create opportunities for freelancers across the country.
Assessment & feedback
Freelance support scheme or box office top-up were not specifically addressed
Response accuracy
Q3 Partial Answer
Chris Elmore Lab
Bridgend
Context
The MP is informed that over 1.6 million people are excluded from the Government's support schemes, and they urgently need help.
I have been contacted every day by sole traders and small independents who have fallen through the Government's schemes. They are excluded and do not qualify for Government support. According to ExcludedUK, 1.6 million people are excluded from any of the Government's self-support schemes. Last week, in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Pontypridd (Alex Davies-Jones), the Chief Secretary said that these people had now been covered. They have not been covered. They are excluded and they are desperate for help. Will the Minister set out what support he will provide to the people who are excluded in this country from self-support grants?
I am sure that whatever the Chief Secretary said last week was absolutely correct. The hon. Gentleman will be aware that the scheme we have is designed to be as comprehensive as we can make it, consistent with the wider package we are offering and with support rapidly for the largest number of the most vulnerable people. That was the purpose of the scheme.
Assessment & feedback
Detailed plan for excluded individuals not provided
Response accuracy
Q4 Partial Answer
John Lamont Con
Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
Context
The MP appreciates the Chancellor's efforts to protect jobs, businesses, and livelihoods. He enquires about eligibility numbers for the third SEISS grant.
I very much welcome everything the Chancellor has done to protect jobs, businesses and livelihoods in my constituency and across Scotland. Many of the self-employed constituents in my area will be very grateful for the third grant that is now available to them. Can the Minister set out the number of people who will be eligible for the grant in Scotland?
We are unable to predict the exact take-up of the SEISS grant extension across the United Kingdom, but the latest statistics on the second grant demonstrate that self-employed people in Scotland are continuing to receive unprecedented levels of support under the scheme. As of 20 September, 64% of assessed individuals were found to be eligible in Scotland, with 126,000 claims being made, amounting to £318 million of Government support.
Assessment & feedback
Exact prediction not provided, only statistics for second grant were given
Response accuracy
Q5 Partial Answer
Taiwo Owatemi Lab
Coventry North West
Context
The MP's constituent Rebecca, who started a business before lockdown, faced delays and was ultimately granted a coronavirus business interruption loan. She is concerned about reduced financial support.
My constituent Rebecca launched a new business, Purdy's Pet Shop, in Coventry North West just before the lockdown. Rebecca was told that she was ineligible for the self-employment income support scheme and faced a frustrating few weeks until she was eventually granted a coronavirus business interruption loan. That is just one business among many that fell through the gaping holes of the first self-employment income support scheme. Now it, and many other businesses in my constituency, will also fall through the gaps in the new extension. Constituents have contacted me about how anxious they feel about how they will survive now that support has dropped to just 70%. Can the Minister tell me how adequate he believes the extension of the self-employment income support scheme is? What will he do to support my constituents who are falling through the gaps of the current scheme and are worried about the reduced financial support it offers?
I salute the hon. Lady's constituent for setting up a new business and for showing the entrepreneurship and aspiration that characterise British business at its best. As she will be aware, we are engaged in the process of supporting vulnerable businesses and people. In the self-employment area, we are doing that through the extension to the job support scheme.
Assessment & feedback
Evaluation on adequacy and support for gaps not provided
Response accuracy
Q6 Partial Answer
Meg Hillier Lab Co-op
Hackney South and Shoreditch
Context
The MP links concerns about self-employed support gaps to bounce back loan usage, questioning the Treasury's oversight.
I associate myself with the concerns raised by colleagues cross-party on this issue. It is interesting that every time the Minister comes to the Dispatch Box, he bats off extra support for those people, yet some of them may have qualified for bounce back loans. I am interested to know whether the Treasury knows how many qualified for bounce back loans, because a recent National Audit Office report suggests that the Treasury does not know where the money has gone and what it is being used for, so perhaps he can elucidate.
I admire the hon. Lady's ingenuity in introducing a conversation about bounce back loans to a discussion about the self-employed scheme. The answer is that I do not have the numbers to hand, but of course, if those numbers are available, I will make sure that we write to her with the detail.
Assessment & feedback
Numbers for bounce back loans were requested and not provided directly
Changing Subject
Response accuracy