Hello Members,
As previously communicated, we will be migrating the majority of our comms back to a more centralised marketing suite, including ESSA Director Updates.
GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT/UPDATES
GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT/UPDATES
The Winter Plan was released earlier this week, with Plan B outlining that the NHS Covid Pass would only recognise double jab only. There were no clear metrics as to when the Britain would switch from Plan A to Plan B, nor absolute clarity on which setting ‘Business Events – Trade and Consumer Shows’ sit (we have already queried this). We are yet to receive clarity on the legal considerations of double jab only on employment law, DDA, and GDPR and will continue to push for this. Officials have noted our concerns on double jab only, and referenced that more details of the scope of sectors included will be announced shortly.
BEIS – The next PBS Call is on Friday 24th September.
DCMS – We met with officials on Tuesday 14th September, with the following agenda;
- Clarity on Insurance, is hope by the end of the week
- Pushed for the creation of Travel Corridors for Business Events – trade and consumer shows – citing example of such corridors to Amsterdam
- We are assured there will be a wash up for the ERP – and again requested separation of business pilot results from other event types
- We are assured that Business Events will be included in future DCMS Participation Survey’s, and we expressed our disappointment on exclusion this time
- Officials indicated an engagement plan, which restarted the Events Industry Board, reintroduction of Sector Stakeholder Meetings, and engagement with the Tourism Recovery Plan are being considered by the Minister
DCMS – Whilst there is a new Secretary of State, we are hopeful for consistency that Nigel Huddleston remains as the Minister – he responded to a question from The Chair of the APPG for Events, the Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP, asking a question to DCMS in the House that if vaccine passports and other covid restrictions were to return whether the government would distinguish between business events and nightclubs and other mass gatherings? You can watch the response https://twitter.com/APPGEvents/status/1438441374118993925?s=20 .
The event re-insurance scheme has now published the detail that was previously missing prior to its launch https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/live-events-reinsurance-scheme
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
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.
We have updated guidance on several EU countries with regard to Visa requirements within our Brexit update area of the member zone. Please do continue to share your own experience on this topic with ESSA so we can continue to diseminate and share within the community #Wearestrongertoghether
