Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Virendra Sharma and Kemi Badenoch

Tuesday 26th January 2021 Commons Chamber

[Kemi Badenoch]

My hon. Friend raises a point mentioned by several Members about the difficulties businesses in the hospitality sector and their supply chain have faced during the pandemic. He can tell his constituents that £1.6 billion is being made available for local authorities to support businesses that are ineligible for closed business grants but that may still be impacted by restrictions, and local authorities have discretion to determine how much funding to provide to businesses and the flexibility to target local businesses that are important to their local economies, which could include businesses in the supply chains for retail, hospitality and leisure.

[Mr Virendra Sharma (Ealing, Southall) (Lab) [V]]

Some small businesses in my constituency cannot access the support they need to continue to employ staff and survive. The Government’s incomplete guidance to local authorities has left that gap in support. Will the Minister fix that flaw in the system and commit to help small businesses today?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Virendra Sharma and Kemi Badenoch

Wednesday 25th November 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Virendra Sharma (Ealing, Southall) (Lab) [V]]

I will be hosting a national group of experts on decolonising the British curriculum in January 2021. Will the Secretary of State attend that event to listen to the expert testimonies from the academics regarding this important issue?

[The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Kemi Badenoch)]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. As I said in a recent debate on this topic, we do not accept the premise that the curriculum in this country is colonised. While I am always very interested in hearing the viewpoints about how we can improve the curriculum, there are certain premises that we simply will not accept.