Tuesday Volume 678 21 July 2020 No. 90 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 21 July 2020 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2020 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 1979 21 JULY 2020 1980 Ben Everitt: That is absolutely right, but it is not just House of Commons about bouncing back; it is also about levelling up. Will the Secretary of State join my hon. Friend the Universities Tuesday 21 July 2020 Minister in giving his backing in the spending review to the shovel-ready MK:U—a much needed technical The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock university in Milton Keynes which will deliver cutting-edge science, technology and engineering jobs and skills for local employers? PRAYERS Alok Sharma: As my hon. Friend would expect, the [MR SPEAKER ] in the Chair MK:U proposal will be judged objectively on its merits. Virtual participation in proceedings commenced (Order, More generally, I can confirm that the Government 4 June). recognise the significant potential of the Oxford-Cambridge [NB: [V] denotes a Member participating virtually.] arc and the important role of Milton Keynes in achieving that potential. Oral Answers to Questions Andy Carter: Airline pilots working for easyJet took an unprecedented decision on Friday to declare no confidence in their senior management. I have heard BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL from many constituents who work at the airline in STRATEGY Liverpool and Manchester who are worried about the company’s approach of “fire and rehire on different The Secretary of State was asked— terms”. Does my right hon. Friend agree that safety in Covid-19: Support for Business the airline industry must always be paramount and that negotiations about future job losses should be respectful Dr Neil Hudson (Penrith and The Border) (Con): and in good faith? What steps his Department is taking to support businesses during the covid-19 outbreak. [905049] Alok Sharma: My hon. Friend highlights an important point. Throughout the covid-19 period, the Government Ben Everitt (Milton Keynes North) (Con): What support have provided unprecedented support for employment his Department is providing to businesses to help them and worked in close partnership with the business recover from the covid-19 outbreak. [905053] community. I understand that it continues to be a difficult time for many businesses, but as he highlights, Andy Carter (Warrington South) (Con): What steps in that spirit of partnership, we expect all employers to his Department is taking to support businesses during treat their employees fairly and follow the rules. the covid-19 outbreak. [905072] The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Edward Miliband (Doncaster North) (Lab): I want to Strategy (Alok Sharma): Since the start of the covid-19 return the Secretary of State to the question asked by outbreak, the Government have provided £160 billion the hon. Member for Penrith and The Border (Dr Hudson) of support through a range of schemes to protect jobs about the many businesses that are part of the 3 million and help businesses keep going. We have also provided ExcludedUK group. They include over 2 million people support to businesses through measures in the Corporate who are essentially self-employed but have been disqualified Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 and the Business from help under the self-employment scheme for various— and Planning Bill. Working with business and trade often arbitrary—reasons. In many cases, this is not unions, my Department has published detailed guidance simply rough justice but deep unfairness. Many of these to help businesses reopen safely. individuals are not high earners. Will the Secretary of State give an indication that he recognises that this is an Dr Hudson [V]: The Government’s support for injustice, and can he tell us how he plans to address it? people and businesses during the covid crisis has been fantastic and has helped countless constituents Alok Sharma: The right hon. Gentleman will also in Penrith and The Border and across the UK. acknowledge that the Government have provided Unfortunately, many have still not been able to access unprecedented support to businesses across the whole support, such as the newly self-employed, limited company economy. As I said, the key right now is to support directors, freelancers, new starters and those who fall businesses to open, to get the economy up and running. on the wrong side of the eligibility criteria. Will my That is the best way that we can support businesses right hon. Friend work with the Treasury to see whether across the United Kingdom. those hard-working people can be helped with some emergency financial support? Edward Miliband: This issue of 3 million people Alok Sharma: My hon. Friend will know that we have being excluded is not going away. Let me ask him about supported over 9 million jobs through the job retention the winding down of the furlough scheme. Yesterday, scheme, 2.7 million people have benefited from the self- Make UK, the manufacturers’ organisation, said that a employment support scheme and around 870,000 small furlough extension was vital to prevent a “jobs bloodbath” businesses have benefited from grants. The Chancellor in aerospace and automotive. We see the looming threat set out his plan for jobs a few days ago. The key now is too in sectors that have not yet reopened, such as events to get the economy up and running, so that businesses and exhibitions, and those operating well below capacity, can trade.1 such as hospitality. Yet from next week, the Government 1.[Official Report, 1 September 2020, Vol. 679, c. 2MC.] 1981 Oral Answers 21 JULY 2020 Oral Answers 1982 are insisting that every single employer, whatever their Ltd, which I hope will give postmasters the answers that industry, will have to start contributing to the furlough. they have been seeking all these years. It will also ensure Does the Secretary of State not recognise that this that lessons are learned for the future. decision to phase out the furlough, irrespective of circumstances, risks handing a P45 to hundreds of Kate Osborne: Last month, the Government announced thousands of workers? an independent review of the Post Office’s Horizon IT system scandal that led to hundreds of postmasters Alok Sharma: The furlough scheme will have been up being fired, many going bankrupt and others even and running for a full eight months, providing a huge being imprisoned. The Post Office Horizon scandal will amount of support for more than 9 million jobs. It is go down as one of the biggest civil injustices ever. To becoming more flexible and allowing people to return restore public confidence and bring justice to the many to work part time. The right hon. Gentleman will know lives ruined, it is vital that each individual case is that the Chancellor has also set out the job retention assessed and that rightful compensation is paid to all bonus which, if it is taken up by all employers, will those affected. A judge-led public inquiry is the only represent a £9 billion boost for the economy. I say to answer; will the Minister commit to that now? him again that the key is to get the economy up and running and to get businesses trading. Paul Scully: I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her question and her continued highlighting of the sub- Drew Hendry (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and postmasters’ situation. I hope to announce the chair of Strathspey) (SNP): As we have heard, many businesses, the review very soon so that we can start on it at pace in sole traders, freelancers and others have been left without September. support throughout this health emergency. They are on their knees and they are still getting no support. How Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central) (Lab): can they rebuild their trade when the Secretary of The Post Office Horizon scandal is one of the biggest State’sGovernment will not help them? If his Government miscarriages of justice of our times: 20 years of reputations will not help them, why have they refused to allow ruined, families torn apart and lives lost. Sub-postmasters simple adjustments to Scotland’s borrowing rules so were betrayed by a Post Office that so persecuted them that the Scottish Government can step in? that what compensation they have won has largely gone on legal fees,and they have now turned to the parliamentary Alok Sharma: The hon. Gentleman talks about ombudsman to investigate the full costs of a Government support in Scotland; like many colleagues in the House, that failed I believe in the Union, and we must work together to “to undertake its statutory duty of oversight”. support workers across the United Kingdom. More than 730,000 jobs have been protected in Scotland As we break for our summer holidays, will the Minister through the furlough scheme. The hon. Gentleman will finally do the right thing and commit to a full, judge-led know that, as a result of the additional moneys that the inquiry that will get to the bottom of the wrongs Chancellor announced at the summer statement, the suffered and deliver both justice and compensation? total additional Barnett funding to Scotland since March is £4.6 billion. Paul Scully: The chairman or woman of the review will be announced in due course so that we can start the Drew Hendry: Oh how the broad shoulders of the review of this injustice in September at pace. It is Union slump when asked a difficult question.