Asked by: Roger Gale (Conservative - North Thanet)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to announce details of the discretionary local business grant scheme.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government has announced that up to £617 million is being made available to Local Authorities in England to allow them to provide discretionary grants as part of the suite of Business Support grants supporting businesses and local economies across England.
Guidance, intended to support Local Authorities in administering the Discretionary Grants Fund, was published 13th May.
Guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-business-support-grant-funding
This will not replace existing guidance for the Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF) or the Retail Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF).
Guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-business-support-grant-funding-guidance-for-businesses
The additional Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund is aimed at small businesses with ongoing fixed property-related costs but not liable for business rates or rates reliefs. We are asking local authorities to prioritise businesses in shared spaces, regular market traders, small charity properties that would meet the criteria for Small Business Rates Relief, and bed and breakfasts that pay council tax rather than business rates.
Local Authorities are responsible for defining precise eligibility for this fund and may choose to make payments to other businesses based on local economic need, subject to those businesses meeting the specific eligibility criteria. Businesses seeking information should refer to their Local Authority for further information on their discretionary scheme. Businesses already in receipt of the SBGF, RHLGF or Self-employed Income Support Scheme are not eligible.
Asked by: Roger Gale (Conservative - North Thanet)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which aerodromes are located within the Enterprise Zones.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
There are six Enterprise Zones in England that include active public aerodromes: Aerohub+ (Newquay Airport); Blackpool Airport; Heart of the South West (Exeter Airport); Luton Airport; North Kent (Rochester Airport); and Solent (Solent Airport).
There are a further three Enterprise Zones in England with large sites in close proximity to an active public aerodrome but not within its’ operational boundary. This includes: Humber (Humberside Airport); Manchester Airport (Manchester Airport) and North East Round 2 (Newcastle Airport). The Lancashire Enterprise Zone also includes sites within the boundaries of the privately operated Warton aerodrome.