Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of establishing a licensing system for responsible venues in the business and hospitality sector to allow for an increase in the number of customers permitted with appropriate social distancing and other safety measures in those venues during the covid-19 outbreak.

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister addressed the nation on Saturday 31 October setting out new national restrictions. These restrictions will apply nationally for four weeks up to Wednesday 2 December, and will override the current Local Alert Level restrictions. Hospitality will be limited to takeaway and delivery. Therefore, no customers are permitted at venues for the time being.