Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of rural pub closures on community cohesion and local economies in constituencies such as North East Hampshire.

The Government recognises that rural pubs can play an important role as community hubs, supporting local economies and social interaction. Through business rates support and initiatives such as Pub is the Hub, we are helping communities retain valued local assets and sustain economic activity. We are reforming business rates to better support the high street, with over 750,000 properties benefitting from permanently lower rates worth nearly £1 billion annually. From April, pubs have benefitted from an additional 15% cut followed by a two-year freeze worth around £1,650 and we have increased and extended the Hospitality Support Fund to £10 million over the next three years so we can continue to help more pubs, help more people into work and find more innovate ways to improve business productivity and sustainability.

We are also working closely with industry through the Hospitality Sector Council, to ensure pubs can remain viable and continue contributing to social cohesion in rural areas.