Covid-19 Update Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Cabinet Office

Covid-19 Update

Felicity Buchan Excerpts
Monday 12th October 2020

(4 years ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Boris Johnson Portrait The Prime Minister
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

That is exactly why, on top of the low business rates, the VAT cuts and so on—and the grants that we have given—the job support scheme is directly designed to support those businesses that will remain open, like pubs, but which are not able to trade as they normally would under some of these restrictions. That is what it is there for.

Felicity Buchan Portrait Felicity Buchan (Kensington) (Con)
- Hansard - -

Businesses in my central London constituency are hurting because of the low footfall. While of course we need to take appropriate measures to control the virus, does my right hon. Friend agree with me that we need to balance the interests of the economy, because it is only with a functioning economy that we can pay for our excellent NHS?

Boris Johnson Portrait The Prime Minister
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My hon. Friend is completely right, and that is why I made the point, in almost identical terms, earlier on.