Extract from Second reading debate (Lords) of the Coronavirus
Bill Lord Balfe (Con):...I congratulate the Government and the TUC
on the way they have worked together on this problem. They have
shown that when it is needed, both sides are able to stand aside
and work in the national interest. The TUC, as the Minister will
know, has mentioned a wage subsidy for the self-employed. It has
made the sensible suggestion that the subsidy should be based on
the previous three years of tax...Request free trial
Extract from Second
reading debate (Lords) of the Coronavirus Bill
(Con):...I congratulate the
Government and the TUC on the way they have worked together on this
problem. They have shown that when it is needed, both sides are
able to stand aside and work in the national interest. The TUC, as
the Minister will know, has mentioned a wage subsidy for the
self-employed. It has made the sensible suggestion that the subsidy
should be based on the previous three years of tax returns, because
of course we all believe that every self-employed person declares
every penny that they have earned. This is an excellent suggestion
from the TUC, and I hope that the Minister will be able to proceed
with talks with it, not necessarily to agree it exactly as put
forward but for some sort of help. We tend to think of the
self-employed as people with big businesses but I am thinking of
people such as Musicians
actors and authors: people who work singly and are represented by
Equity, BECTU and other unions. They are often sole workers, and
very often earning not that much...
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Extract from
Commons statement on Self Employed
(Kingston and Surbiton) (LD):...I want to say to those on the
Treasury Bench that it is important we remember who the
self-employed are: 80% of the 5 million self-employed are sole
traders. They are our neighbours, our friends, our family. The vast
majority are not wealthy people. They are cleaners, taxi drivers,
plumbers, hairdressers; they are Musicians tutors,
journalists; and they are builders, electricians and child minders.
These people are literally running out of money now, and we have to
support them...
(Enfield, Southgate) (Lab): Two of my
constituents are musicians. One is in an
orchestra, and the other is a freelancer. One will get 80% of his
income paid, and the other will be on statutory sick pay. Surely,
it would be better to have a system where one wealthy freelancer
benefits but 100 do not go hungry.
(Colne Valley) (Con): I
welcome that the Treasury is working hard on supporting the
self-employed. We must remember that these are local freelancers.
They are mobile hairdressers, childminders, freelance driving
instructors, photographers, Musicians IT
consultants and home-based travel agents. They have lost all their
income. Can the Minister confirm that the package for the
self-employed, freelancers and sole traders will be announced by
the end of the week?
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