Covid-19: Economy Update Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Covid-19: Economy Update

Julian Sturdy Excerpts
Thursday 22nd October 2020

(4 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lindsay Hoyle Portrait Mr Speaker
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Let us head up to Yorkshire with Julian Sturdy.

Lindsay Hoyle Portrait Mr Speaker
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We will go up to Scotland for the next question, from Neil Gray.

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Lindsay Hoyle Portrait Mr Speaker
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Let us return to Yorkshire with Julian Sturdy. I think he has got his voice back.

Julian Sturdy Portrait Julian Sturdy [V]
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Thank you, Mr Speaker—take two. I thank my right hon. Friend for listening to the concerns that have been raised by York’s tourism and hospitality sector and announcing an extensive package of support for areas such as York that have been left in limbo under the tier 2 restrictions. However, does he agree that the best way to support York’s wider economy is to get us back to tier 1 as swiftly as possible? Can he assure me that the support announced today will not be used to justify prolonging additional restrictions for longer than is necessary?

Rishi Sunak Portrait Rishi Sunak
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My hon. Friend is absolutely right: the best way to help businesses and protect people’s jobs is to allow businesses to trade and allow the economy to function as normally as possible. The support we have put in place today will not be used as an excuse not to do that, and as the Prime Minister said, we will be reviewing all these restrictions on a 28-day basis. Of course, we all want to see our local areas get back to as much of normality as they can, as quickly as possible.