Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has plans to introduce tax breaks to enable food producers in financial distress as a result of the covid-19 outbreak to main food supplies.

The Government has provided enhanced support to the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors given the acute impacts of COVID-19 on those sectors. A range of measures to support all businesses has been made available, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan scheme, and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help firms continue to keep people in employment. HMRC have also set up a dedicated COVID-19 helpline to help those in need, and they may be able to agree a bespoke Time to Pay arrangement.

This is the right response at the right time. As the wider economic picture becomes clearer, the Government will do whatever it takes to get the nation through the impacts of COVID-19, and the Government stands ready to announce further action wherever necessary.