Economic Update Debate

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Department: HM Treasury
Tuesday 17th March 2020

(4 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Rishi Sunak Portrait Rishi Sunak
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I thank my hon. Friend for his comments. He is right: we want this scheme to be available through as many branches and outlets as possible. We are urgently working with the Prudential Regulation Authority to see whether we can onboard new providers at pace. He will understand that there are regulatory requirements, but we are seeing what we can do to speed that up.

Lilian Greenwood Portrait Lilian Greenwood (Nottingham South) (Lab)
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I welcome the increase in the small business grant to £10,000, and I understand that those grants will be distributed by local authorities. What assessment has the Chancellor made of the capacity of local councils to deliver that help, and when will businesses actually receive the money?

Rishi Sunak Portrait Rishi Sunak
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As a former local government Minister, I have amazing faith in the capacity of our local authorities to deliver for us in this regard. They are being provided with extra resources to help deal with the administration of this money, and my right hon. Friend the Communities Secretary is already working at pace to ensure that the rebilling and processing of these grants happens in a matter of days and weeks.