COVID-19 Updates – week commencing 27/04/20
More updates of developments from the government and various links to interpretation and guidance.
Go to date:
27 April 2020 …
Transport Committee invites contributions on impact of coronavirus on UK transport
The Commons Transport Committee is asking transport workers, stakeholders and members of the public to write to them about the transport issues they face during the coronavirus outbreak.
MPs will explore the impact felt by the industry, its workers and passengers in a rolling programme of work to monitor the impact of coronavirus on UK transport, sector by sector.
The committee is seeking a range of views to suggest areas where more support is needed. This will enable MPs to maintain scrutiny of the Department for Transport and key bodies as the crisis continues.
On May 6, MPs will consider the issues affecting consumers and industry in a detailed look at aviation which will examine the financial position of airlines and airports, address passenger and consumer issues such as refunds, and assess how air travel will work as the restrictions are eased. Witnesses will be confirmed closer to the date. Among subsequent sessions, MPs will look at rail, local transport and national infrastructure projects.
Chair of the Transport Committee, Huw Merriman MP, said:
“Coronavirus has changed our lives and will continue to make itself felt for some time. Aviation, rail, local transport, national infrastructure projects, the travel industry – those who work in transport and those who use it – have all felt the impact of Covid19.
“As the situation continues to develop, we’re keen to hear of developments and issues across the different transport sectors. You might work in transport, use local services or fear for services. Perhaps you’ve been forced to change travel plans or are concerned about regular journeys you make. We’re asking you to tell us what the issues are.
“We will begin with aviation and will move on to other sectors such as rail and local transport. Thank you in advance for your help. We will be using the insight from your submissions to help us frame our work in this area.”
The Committee has already questioned the Secretary of State, Grant Shapps MP (March 25) and ministers Chris Heaton-Harris MP and Baroness Vere (April 7).
Please write via the Committee’s website inquiry page. Submissions should be no more than two pages. Your submission may be published but please make clear if you would prefer it remains confidential. The committee regrets it cannot deal with individual cases.
CPT members urged to supply data
As part of its ‘Back Britain’s Coaches’ campaign, CPT members have been urged to submit data to add strength to the organisation arguments for direct support for the coach sector.
“One operator urged his fellow members to contribute: “If you haven’t done it why not? They need facts and figures to be able to best represent the industry that is on its knees, Family firms are going the big firms investors are likely to be panicking and getting ready to bail…
“Stand up and be counted!”
Operational updates from CPT:
COVID-19 TESTING FOR KEY WORKERS – AVAILABLITY
As with all things relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation surrounding key worker testing is developing rapidly
The Department for Health & Social Care are now offering COVID-19 testing to all key workers in England and Scotland either at a drive through testing site or by the use of a home testing kit
There are different arrangements in Wales
Members will be aware from national news reports that the demand for testing is so far exceeding the supply
The website where drive through or home testing can be arranged opens every day at 8AM
Key workers can also request a test through their employer
The intention of the key worker testing program is to offer tests to:
- key workers with symptoms
- people who live with key workers and have symptoms
Full details of the key worker testing scheme can be found on .gov.uk
This webpage is updated frequently and members are encouraged to check this page for any updates
DHSC has also produced an information pack for employers which can be found on the link below
INFORMATION PACK FOR EMPLOYERS
LETTER FROM DHSC TO EMPLOYERS – MAKING IT EASIER TO GET YOUR ESSENTIAL WORKERS TESTED
The Department of Health & Social Care will be sending a letter to all employers of essential workers explaining how employers and employees can arrange a COVID-19 test
SELF REFERRAL – ENGLAND & SCOTLAND
Key workers who are self-isolating can book a test directly.
They will be offered a choice of a test at a regional test site drive-through site or home test kit.
Home test kit availability will initially be limited but more will become available.
There is expected to be good availability of regional test sites, and workers are encouraged to choose this option if they can.
The self referral portal can be found here
DHSC has produced a comprehensive user guide which is available from the link below
SELF REFERRAL PORTAL-USER GUIDE
EMPLOYER REFERRAL – ENGLAND & SCOTLAND
There is also an employer referral portal available where employers can refer key workers who are self-isolating either because they or member(s) of their household have COVID-19 symptoms, to be tested
It is a secure portal for employers to use to upload the full list of names and contact details of workers
The referred workers will then receive a text message with details of how to book their test
In order to obtain a login and further details of how to access the portal employers should email portalservicedesk@dhsc.gov.uk
DHSC will expect employers to gain consent from workers that their personal information can be shared before the test is requested
DHSC privacy policy can be found here
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – EMPLOYERS & EMPLOYEES
DHSC has produced two sets of FAQs covering those that may be asked by employers or by employees
DRIVE THROUGH TESTING PROCESS
The key worker will receive a text message from UK_Gov inviting them to book a specific appointment at a regional testing site.
They should then click the link in the text message link and enter their unique 16 digit code to access the booking system
After booking a specific slot at a testing site the key worker will receive an email and text confirmation.
- Individuals will need to bring the QR code, either on their smartphone or printout of the email, to the test appointment.
- Security will check the QR code at the testing site gate.
- The QR code will also be scanned and attributed to the individual’s coronavirus test
The test involves taking a swab of the nose and the back of the throat
Test results will be delivered (estimated as 48-72 hours) by email direct to the key worker
DHSC has provided a short video explaining the drive through testing process
HOME TESTING PROCESS
Home testing will be targeted at key workers who cannot access a drive through test site for example due to lack of access to transport or remote locations
The home testing kit will be delivered to the worker by Amazon
The test involves taking a swab of the nose and the back of the throat, which can be done by the person themselves (self-administered) or by someone else (assisted)
After the worker has undergone the test, the test kit will be collected by Royal Mail and taken to the testing laboratory
Test results will be delivered (estimated as 48-72 hours) by email direct to the key worker
DHSC has provided a short video explaining the home testing process
Update from Tourism Alliance:
As we enter a sixth week in lockdown, Governments are turning their attention to how and when the economy will be reopened.
Scotland and Wales published their plans for doing this last week and businesses are pressing Westminster to do the same.
- Here’s Scotland’s framework for Decision-making https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-framework-decision-making/
- Here’s Wales’ Framework for Recovery https://gov.wales/leading-wales-out-coronavirus-pandemic-html
The Prime Minister, in his speech this morning, indicated that we will hear more about the Government’s plans in this week but there are concerns are to the process by which any easing of restrictions will take place. Michael Gove, on the Andrew Marr Show last week, indicated that sectors of hospitality will be amongst the last businesses to open and the Prime Minister stated this morning that the engines of the economy would be fired-up “one by one”.
Restarting the economy will be a difficult process with job and consumer confidence shattered and self-distancing limiting the ability of many tourism and hospitality businesses to operate in an economic manner. It is therefore reasonable to assume that many tourism businesses are unlikely to become self-supporting for some considerable time and will need Government support through the winter.
In France, President Macron has recognised that the French Tourism industry faces the same issues and has developed additional tourism-specific support measures including:
- Social charges (our equivalent would be NI + auto enrolment pension + apprenticeship levy etc) are suspended for three months for tourism businesses; thereafter they are to be postponed for further period depending on developments
- Interest on loans and finance postponed for six months (with six months added onto the end of the loan/finance agreement), with discussion now to extend this to 12 months.
These are in addition to the flexibility of France’s part-time furlough system giving tourism businesses access to the skills they need to maintain
Which brings us on to DCMS Oral Questions in the House of Commons at 3pm today. This an excellent opportunity for you to tweet to MPs and Ministers about the need to:
- Introduce flexibility to the Furloughing Scheme
- Keep support measures in place over the winter to help businesses restart
Remember to use #ProtectTourismJobs when tweeting.
28 April 2020 …
Tourism Alliance updates:
The main item today is that the Chancellor has announced the availability of “Bounce back loans” for SMEs from next Monday.
Bounce Back Loans
The Chancellor has announced new “bounce back loans” for SMEs will be available from 9am next Monday. Small businesses will be able to access loans worth 25 per cent of their turnover, up to £50,000, and the government will pay the interest for the first 12 months. The loans will be 100 per cent guaranteed by the Treasury, meaning the government will take on all the default risk. The good news for SMEs is that, unlike the other loan schemes, there are no tests of business viability and no complex eligibility criteria. Instead, there will be just a simple online form to complete.
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/chancellors-statement-to-parliament
G20 Tourism Ministers Meeting
Nigel Huddleston attended the G20 Tourism Ministers Meeting on Friday. The statement from the meeting included commitments to
• working together to provide support to the sector and welcome the national efforts to mitigate the social and economic impacts of the pandemic by G20 countries.
• ensuring that the introduction and removal of travel restrictions are coordinated and proportionate to the national and international situation, and ensure the safety of travellers.
• working with international organizations, industry partners, and across governments to include travel and tourism in response and recovery programs
• helping tourism sector businesses, especially micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), entrepreneurs, and workers to adapt and thrive in a new post-crisis era
Finally, they tasked the Tourism Working Group – ahead of the Tourism Ministers’ Meeting in Saudi Arabia on October 7th, 2020 – to identify challenges to the sector that have arisen from the crisis, to develop and share further targeted responses to stimulate recovery, and to identify ways to improve resiliency in the sector.
https://g20.org/en/media/Documents/G20_Tourism%20Ministers%20Meeting_Statement_EN.pdf
Here’s Nigel Huddleston’s Speech at the meeting
Furloughed Workers to Receive Full Parental Leave Entitlement
DWP has confirmed that
• Pay for furloughed workers taking family related leave is to be calculated based on usual earnings rather than furlough pay
• Full earnings will apply to Maternity Pay, Paternity Pay, Shared Parental Pay, Parental Bereavement Pay and Adoption Pay
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/furloughed-workers-to-receive-full-parental-leave-entitlement
VAT Deferrals Update
HMRC has updated its guidance regarding how different VAT payments can be deferred including payments on account and monthly and quarterly payments.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deferral-of-vat-payments-due-to-coronavirus-covid-19
29 April 2020 …
Updates from CPT:
RISK MANAGEMENT – BUS & COACH SERVICE DELIVERY
CPT’s COVID-19 Operational Group has been actively reviewing the assessment and management of out-of-depot risks to drivers and other staff, with the aim of developing consistent safe practices across the bus and coach sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, both during the current lockdown and also when services eventually return to some form of normality
The Group has developed a separate risk matrix for each of four different types of operation
Bus and coach operations have been split into four types as the risks and mitigations will vary depending on whether there is a driver protective screen and whether the driver handles cash or not
The four types of operation are;
- Type 1 – Enclosed cab, driver handling cash
- Type 2 – Enclosed cab, with no cash handling
- Type 3 – No protective screen, driver handling cash
- Type 4 – No protective screen, with no cash handling
We have also worked with the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) and The TAS Partnership who have provided valuable independent assessment of each individual risk matrix
Their feedback, along with additional comments received from Bus & Coach Commission members has been incorporated, and now we can make the final versions available for members to use
CPT understands that members with continuing operations are already doing what they can to protect staff but we would encourage you to review the matrices relevant to your operations, along with the supporting information, and guidance and to consider what additional mitigations you might need to adopt.
The current risk matrices relate to out of depot activities but CPT’s COVID-19 Operational Group are working to produce a general risk management guidance document that includes in-depot activities and this will be available soon
The risk matrices are in the form of an Excel file which will download directly to your PC when you click on the link below. Each different matrix is shown on a separate tab
A guidance note can be found on this link
SUSPENSION OF MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
The Corporate Services team at the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency covering some Questions & Answers relating to the suspension of driver medicals for vocational licence renewals
The Q&A can be found on the link below
Webinar from UKInbound
UKInbound has kindly provided the following link to its latest Meet the Tourism Minister webinar with Nigel Huddleston, Minister for Sport, Tourism & Heritage.
See the shared link here:
30 April 2020 …
Updates from Tourism Alliance:
A couple of important items today regarding details on the extension of testing to workers who are not able to work from home and the extension of the deadline for written evidence to the DCMS Select Committee until 19th June 2020 (so if you haven’t been able to send me through issues that you would like incorporated in the Tourism Alliance submission, there is still time to do so).
Further Expansion of Access to Coronavirus Testing
The Government has announced that anyone in England with coronavirus symptoms who either has to leave home to go to work or is aged 65 and over will now be able to get tested, as well as any symptomatic members of their household. This means that employee that your members have who is not able to work at home can book a test if they are showing symptoms of Coronavirus
Further information, including how to book a test, are included in the following link.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested
Extension to DCMS Select Committee Inquiry (And Almost All Government Consultations)
The DCMS Select Committee has announced that the deadline for written evidence for their inquiry on the Impact of Covid-19 on DCMS sectors has been extended to Friday 19 June 2020 due to the pressures on businesses and trade associations at this time. In addition, the deadlines for submissions on almost all other Government consultations have been extended for the same reason. Here’s a link were you can check the new submission deadline on any consultation that you are interested in.
https://www.gov.uk/search/policy-papers-and-consultations
Direction to Implement Support Fund for Retail, Leisure and Hospitality
Here is an interesting exchange of letters between the BEIS Permanent Secretary and the Business Secretary regarding the value for money of the Grant Funding that was made available for Hospitality and Leisure Businesses
Guidance for Households
The Government has produced new guidance for households with grandparents, parents and children living together where someone is at increased risk or has symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection. While this is not directly applicable to tourism businesses, it is a valuable resource that businesses should share with their employees in order to help care for them.
This guidance, as well as a range of other guidance and information, is available on the following link
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance
Operational updates from CPT:
SUSPENSION OF MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
The Q&A document produced by DVLA that we circulated to members yesterday (28th April) contained a formatting error, which resulted in the omission of the final letter of the postcode where renewal applications should be sent
The correct address to use is:
DVLA, Longview Road, Swansea SA99 1BR
CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) HELPING BUSINESS – HMRC WEBINARS
HMRC will be holding three different webinars today (30th April) and tomorrow (1st May) covering various aspects of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Statutory Sick Pay rebate scheme
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Job Retention Scheme: During this webinar we’ll cover furloughed workers, who can apply for the scheme, following the rules of the scheme, how much may be claimed, how to claim and what you’ll need to claim
You can register to attend this webinar here
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – How to make a claim: This guides you through making a claim, including the essential information you need, what to do before you make your claim, calculating and processing your claim
You can register to attend this webinar here
Coronavirus COVID-19 Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme: Providing an overview of the scheme, this webinar looks at who can claim, when to start paying SSP, employees you can claim for, making a claim, keeping records, and more
You can register to attend this webinar here
