Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

Abena Oppong-Asare Excerpts
Tuesday 20th October 2020

(3 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lindsay Hoyle Portrait Mr Speaker
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May I welcome Abena Oppong-Asare to the Dispatch Box as shadow Minister?

Abena Oppong-Asare Portrait Abena Oppong-Asare (Erith and Thamesmead) (Lab)
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Thank you, Mr Speaker. In regions facing tier 3 restrictions, many businesses have been forced to close. In tier 2 regions, many businesses, especially in hospitality, are open in name only, running up all the costs without the customers. What do the Government have to say to those businesses that realistically cannot operate but are not legally required to close?

Jesse Norman Portrait Jesse Norman
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I welcome the hon. Lady to her place. I mourn the loss to his new job of her predecessor, the hon. Member for Ilford North (Wes Streeting), with whom I happily fenced over many sessions on the Finance Bill.

The answer to the hon. Lady’s question is, of course, that we are acutely aware of the financial costs on those businesses, as we are of those on businesses that have been forced to close, and that is why we have put in place an evolving and comprehensive programme of support for business.