GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT/UPDATES

GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT/UPDATES

News reports over the weekend from Nadhim Zahawi on mandatory double jabs come the end of September in certain settings, are somewhat confirmed in a response to our letter of the 28th July – Response_TO2021_17808.pdf (we have met with our public affairs representative to consider a response as the letter does not acknowledge the steps the industry has taken, nor answer our questions and call for clarity going forward). We are chasing officials daily for details of what this might look like, how it may be implemented, and reaffirming the legal concerns (in relation to employment law, GDPR, and the Disability Discrimination Act) and the need for urgent clarity to inform the planning of events from the end of the month. We have been providing contacts and data sets to help officials set policy, including details on how All Secure Voluntary Covid Status Checks are being implemented, experience of ‘gaming’ of test results, and examples of the costs involved in status checking.

Headline rules for the live events reinsurance scheme have now been published on here on gov.uk, and we are seeking further clarity from both officials and insurance providers on the questions raised by the sector which were lodged with officials on the 11th August.

BEIS – The next PBS Call is on Friday 24th September.

DCMS – Our next 121 with officials is Tuesday 14th September, with the following agenda;
• Clarity on Insurance, and response to our questions raised on the 11th August
• Clarity on the winter plan, covid status checks, gaming, legalities
• Creation of Travel Corridors for Business Events – trade and consumer shows
• ERP – request for separation of business pilot results from other event types, and date for wash up meeting
• Clarity on sectors including in DCMS Participation Survey
• Feedback on removal of TAP funding
• Contribution to Tourism Recovery Plan & Future of EIB inc potential for Stakeholder Roundtables

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (Furlough)

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme update
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will be ending on 30 September 2021. Claims for September must be submitted by 14 October 2021 and any amendments must be made by 28 October 2021.

• CJRS Guidance Updated
With the end of the furlough scheme coming up at the end of the month, HMRC has updated the guidance to businesses to inform them that, when the scheme ends, they must either:

- bring their employees back to work on their pre-existing terms and conditions
- terminate their employment (normal redundancy rules apply to furloughed employees)
- agree with employees any changes to terms and conditions of employment (rules for contractual changes apply to furloughed employees)
It should also be noted that when businesses make decisions about how and when to end furlough arrangements, equality and discrimination laws will apply in the usual way.

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

Payments By Councils

Payments By Councils
The data on grant distributions by councils for the period to 25th July has been published. As ever, it’s the distribution of ARG grant funding that is important as unless councils distribute all their funding, they are not eligible for the third and final tranche and businesses in their area will miss-out as a result.

Most councils have now distributed all the funding that they received but there are still some exceptions in areas such as:

o City of York
o Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames
o Southend
o Stratford-Upon Avon
o Westminster
o Winchester

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-grant-funding-local-authority-payments-to-small-and-medium-businesses

The Welsh Government’s self-isolation support scheme will increase from £500 to £750. The increase in the payment, will come into effect from the 7 August and will be reviewed by Ministers in three months. The payment scheme is available until March 2022.