Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to support (a) riding schools and (b) livery yards during the covid-19 outbreak.

The Government has introduced an unprecedented package of support for businesses that are required to close or which are severely affected by the restrictions put in place to tackle Covid-19, protect the NHS and save lives.  The Government is working closely with local authorities in England to ensure that funding can get to the right places as quickly as possible.  Business premises that are required by law to close during the current period of national restrictions since 5th January can access grants of up to £4,500 per 6 weeks of closure (Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed)). In addition, each closed business will be eligible for a one-off payment of up to £9,000 to help them through Spring. This is the Closed Business Lockdown Payment.

Local authorities have been allocated a further £500m in discretionary funding via the Additional Restrictions Grant to support businesses that are significantly impacted by the restrictions even though not required to close.  This is in addition to £1.1bn already allocated in November 2020.  Local authorities have discretion to use this funding to support businesses in the way they see fit.  For example, this could include businesses which supply the retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors, or businesses in the events sector or businesses outside the business rates system, which are effectively forced to close such as market traders.

In addition the British Horse Society has issued advice for equestrian businesses during this time, including setting out loans and grants that businesses may be eligible for (www.bhs.org.uk/advice-and-information/coronavirus-covid-19/business-support-resources).

Whilst riding centres and livery yards are required to close to the general public this does not prevent access to facilities where necessary for animal welfare purposes. Employees may continue to go to work there if they are unable to work from home. Members of the public can continue to visit these establishments if this is where their horse is kept and if this is necessary in order to care for their horse. Further information on this has been distributed to all local authorities via the Office for Product Safety and Standards.