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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If the hon. Lady will forgive me, I do not have a precise answer for her at this moment, but I will look into the matter as soon as I am done and write to her.

Mike Wood Portrait Mike Wood (Dudley South) (Con)
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A firm in the hospitality sector has written to me to say that tomorrow it must lay off 200 workers and halve the pay of 100 more, because bookings are close to zero and it cannot cover the wage bill. How much longer should it hold off?

Rishi Sunak Portrait Rishi Sunak
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Hopefully it will benefit today from the significant measures that have been put in place to provide forward business rate relief and immediate cash support through grants. That should provide the business with some reassurance that help is on its way to enable it to protect jobs, with more to come.