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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what direct financial support or grants the Government plans to make available for food and drink wholesalers as a result of those wholesalers not qualifying for support as they are not categorised as retail.

Food and drink wholesalers are able to benefit from additional financial support recently announced by my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, including the extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme until the end of March 2021,?extension of the existing loan schemes?and Future Fund?to the end of January 2021, with an ability to top-up bounce back loans, and?increased support through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme Grant Extension.

Additionally, £1.1bn is being given to Local Authorities, distributed?on the basis of?£20 per head, for one-off payments to enable them to support businesses more broadly.