Oral Answers to Questions

Elliot Colburn Excerpts

Monday 4th May 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Marcus Fysh (Yeovil) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to support businesses during the covid-19 outbreak.

[Elliot Colburn (Carshalton and Wallington) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to support businesses during the covid-19 outbreak.

[Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to support businesses during the covid-19 outbreak.

--- Later in debate ---

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

My hon. Friend raises a really important point: the flow of information is key to dealing with the crisis. I am happy to meet him to discuss the specifics of his constituency businesses, and I will raise access to specific data with my right hon. Friends the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

[Elliot Colburn [V]]

Several businesses in Carshalton and Wallington that were not eligible for the first round of grants have got in touch with me, such as those in shared offices and our lovely park cafés. Does the Minister agree that councils should make use of the discretionary fund announced over the weekend to help those businesses through the pandemic?

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

We have recognised that there are businesses, particularly in shared workspaces, with relatively high fixed costs related to rent payments, for example, and that they have not been able to benefit directly from the grants. I know that my hon. Friend has raised the issue with my Department; as a result of his lobbying, on Friday my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy announced additional funding to local authorities administering the two grant funds, which will help to support businesses that are currently out of scope. I strongly commend my hon. Friend’s input. Local authorities can now provide grants to small businesses in a variety of shared workspaces.