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 economic effect of the new national covid-19 lockdown restrictions in place from 5 November 2020 on the hair and beauty industry; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a bespoke package of fiscal support for that industry.

We recognise businesses and jobs will be significantly impacted by Covid during the winter. That is why my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that, from 1 November, the Job Support Scheme is being expanded to provide temporary support to businesses whose premises have been legally required to close as a direct result of Covid. This will help businesses by supporting the wage costs of employees and protecting jobs.

We’ve put in place an unprecedented package of support to support impacted businesses, including over £11billion already been paid out through the Small Business Grants Fund and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Grants Fund to over 897,000 businesses across the country, with a further £617 million available to councils to use at their discretion to support small businesses which are not eligible for the other grant schemes.