TIER UPDATE 10/12

Coronavirus Press Conference

Health Secretary Matt Hancock gave a press conference with Chief Medical Officer, , and Professor Steve Powis, Medical Director of NHS . Given the rising numbers of COVID cases amongst secondary school age children in parts of the South East, he announced an immediate plan to test all secondary school aged children in the seven most affected London boroughs, and areas of Essex and Kent.

· In the Q&A he said there were no plans for a special set of rules for New Years’ Eve.

· Re the impact of Tier 3 on hospitality in London. He stated that the main priority would be to protect the NHS, and that Christmas rules will not affect hospitality specifically and they should continue to follow the tiers.

· He also answered a question on post-transition period travel to EU countries, if no deal is agreed, stating that travel corridor decisions were based on public health advice.

Travel Corridors

The Secretary of State for Transport, Rt Hon has announced the latest updates to travel corridors in the UK.

· Botswana and Saudi Arabia added to Travel Corridors list. Arrivals do not need to self-isolate after 4am on Saturday 12 December.

· The Canary Islands has been removed from travel corridor list due to rising cases of coronavirus. Those arriving from 4am on Saturday 12 December will need to self-isolate.

Wales extends business protection measures from eviction to include pubs and restaurants

The Welsh Government has extended its measures to protect businesses impacted by coronavirus from eviction until end of March 2021. Protections now include retailers, pubs and restaurants. The measure will ensure businesses are not forced out of premises if it misses a payment between now and the end of March 2021.

A new eligibility checker will go live on Business to help businesses

Business Wales will publish a new eligibility checker and calculator on their website from 10am on Friday 11 December to help businesses work out what support they can expect to qualify for. Guidance will also be available for firms to help them through the application process for the Sector Specific Fund which will open during the week of 11 January.

Statement from Northern Ireland First Minister In a statement today, Northern Ireland First Minister, Arlene Foster, has stated that limited gatherings in homes will be permitted from 23 to 27 December, ahead of the easing of restrictions tomorrow.

Other Government updates and news

· Guidance for businesses claiming for employee’s wages has been updated under the section “Employer claim information that HMRC will make public' with information that from February HMRC will publish information about employers who claim for periods starting on or after 1 December 2020.

· The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has also been updated to inform employers that they do not need to be facing a wider reduction in demand or be closed to be eligible to claim for employees who are clinically extremely vulnerable or at the highest risk of severe illness from coronavirus.

· The latest updates to the Working Safely during Coronavirus guidance include clarification for restaurants, pubs, bars and takeaways in Tier 3. The guidance has been updated to state that customers can enter the premises to collect or place an order between 5am and 11pm.

· Scotland has announced £55m emergency funding for sport to cover lost ticket revenue.

· Northern Ireland Finance Minister, Conor Murphy has announced that he will making £7.8m available for Belfast international and Belfast City airports, This is in addition to the rates support already provided previously.

TOURISM ALLIANCE UPDATE 10/12

• New LRSG (Open) Guidance BEIS has produced new guidance for Local Authorities on how to administer the Local Restrictions Support Grant )Open) from 2nd December. This is the grant allocated to Local Authorities in Tiers 2 and 3 by Government to provide support to local businesses that, while not legally required to close, are able to demonstrate that they have been substantially impacted by restrictions.

The funding from Government to councils is being made on the basis of the number of businesses in their area that are on the Valuation Office records under certain SCAT Codes (these are business codes for different types of businesses). While the allocation is on the basis of certain businesses, there is a discretionary element to the allocation whereby councils can determine which businesses to receive the grant (although they have been guided to provided it to hospitality, accommodation and leisure businesses). What is of particular note for tourism businesses is para 15 of the Guidance

15. Local Authorities are not expected to use SCAT codes to determine business eligibility.

This means that the grants can be provided to businesses outside the SCAT codes that the Government used to allocate funding - so provided that a business can demonstrate that the restrictions have severely impacted their revenue, then they are eligible to apply for LRSG (Open) funding. The council can always take view that it does not want to give grants to particular businesses, but this will be their decision and not a Government requirement.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_ data/file/942853/local-restrictions-support-grant-OPEN-dec2-2020-onwards-la-guidance.pdf

• Guidance on Serving Alcohol Outside I have received a number of questions regarding whether outdoor attractions and events can serve food and alcohol to visitors. DCMS have provided the following advice on this:

Tiers 1 and 2 Where there is no seating available, the stall or outlet will be providing a take away service. The customer can order their food and drink including alcohol to eat and drink anywhere in the outdoor setting. Customers should be reminded to adhere to safe when queuing for food and drink by putting up signs or introducing a one way system that customers can follow or employing extra marshals to enforce this. Customers eating and drinking in the outdoor setting should not gather in groups of more than 6 people

Tier 3 Outdoor stalls can offer food and drink as a takeaway service but alcohol may only be sold as delivery or click and collect

If seating is provided in or adjacent to the outlet supplying the food and drink, then customers have to comply with the usual rules associated with the different Tiers in terms of table service and substantial meals in tiers 1 and 2 and closure of seating areas in Tier 3

• Alcohol And The Performing Arts The Primary Guidance for the Performing Arts Sector have been updated to clarify that alcohol that statement that “Venues should also only serve alcohol without a to ticketed customers for 30 minutes before, during and 30 minutes after the performance or screening means that they can serve alcohol for a maximum of 60 mins in total https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/performing-arts

• Air Corridors Weekly Update This week’s review has taken place and from 4am on 19th December the Canary Islands will be removed from the Air Corridors list and people arriving from the Canaries after this date will be required to self-isolate.

In addition, Botswana and Saudi Arabia will be added to the Air Corridors List on the same date

It is worth noting that, from 15 December, passengers arriving into the UK from countries not on the Air Corridor List – including the Canary Islands - will have the option to take a test from a private provider after 5 days of self-isolation, with a negative test result releasing them from the need to self-isolate.

• Coronavirus And The Impact On Output In The UK Economy As part of the GDP data published today, ONS released research on the impact of coronavirus on different sectors of the UK economy. The research, which is for October (so before the second lockdown) shows yet again, that the tourism industry continues to be the most severely impacted sector of the UK economy. The main points being: o Tour operators and Travel Agents are still operating at only 10% of the level they were in February this year o Activity in the Air Transport sector is 86.5% down on February 2020 o Activity in the Accommodation industry is 41% down on February 2020 o Activity in Food and Beverage Sector is 32% down on February 2020

https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossdomesticproductgdp/articles/coronavirusandtheim pactonoutputintheukeconomy/october2020

• CJRS Will Publish Employer Information HMRC has announced that, from February, it will publish information about employers who claim for periods starting on or after 1 December 2020. The following information will be published on GOV.UK: o the employer name o an indication of the value of the claim within a banded range o the company number for companies and Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs)

In addition, furloughed employees will be able to see details of claims made for them after 1 December 2020 in their Personal Tax Account on GOV.UK. The reason for this is to cut down the level of fraud occurring whereby companies register people as on furlough without telling the employees who continue to work as normal.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention- scheme

The CJRS has also been updated to clarify that businesses do not need to be facing a wider reduction in demand or be closed to be eligible to claim for employees who are clinically extremely vulnerable or at the highest risk of severe illness from coronavirus.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-which-employees-you-can-put-on-furlough-to-use-the- coronavirus-job-retention-scheme

• Visa Update The Home Office has updated it’s guidance for people whose 30 day visa vignette to work, study or join family has expired to say that they will continue to replace 30 day vignettes free of charge for eligible customers until 31 December 2020.

To request a replacement 30 day visa people can either: o contact the Coronavirus Immigration Help Centre o arrange to return their passport to the VAC if it has re-opened o Contacting the Coronavirus Immigration Help Centre:

Applicants will need to include their name, nationality, date of birth and your GWF reference number with ‘REPLACEMENT 30 DAY VISA’ in the subject line.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa-applicants-and- temporary-uk-residents