Covid-19: Financial Support for High Street Retailers Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Viscount Ridley
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Covid-19: Financial Support for High Street Retailers
Viscount Ridley Excerpts(3 years, 6 months ago)
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Lord Callanan (Con)
I did not quite catch all of that question, but I understand what the noble Lord was saying about the difficulty the retail sector is experiencing. Of course, the pandemic has exacerbated what has been a long-term problem, so I agree with the noble Lord to that extent.
Viscount Ridley (Con)
My Lords, given the remarkable achievements of the high street retail sector in adapting to very difficult circumstances this year, can my noble friend say what steps the Government and the retail sector are taking to ensure that shops are safe for customers to visit in the run-up to Christmas?
Lord Callanan (Con)
The Government have worked closely with retailers throughout the pandemic and we continue to do so. Retailers were instrumental in the development of the Covid-secure guidance and we have invested a great deal to ensure that their premises are Covid secure. I welcome the British Retail Consortium’s campaign to encourage consumers to “Shop early, start wrapping, enjoy Christmas”.