Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the feasibility of cancelling (a) beer duty and (b) VAT payments that are to be paid due at the end of March 2020 for (i) pubs, (ii) restaurants and (iii) other businesses in the hospitality industry.

The Chancellor has announced an unprecedented package of support for pubs, restaurants and hospitality businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Firms eligible for small business rate relief or rural rate relief will be eligible for cash grants of up to £10,000, and firms in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors with eligible properties with a rateable value below £51,000 will be eligible for cash grants of up to £25,000.

A business rates holiday has been put in place for all eligible businesses in the retail and hospitality sectors.

In addition, all VAT registered businesses will be able to defer their VAT payments due on VAT returns for the period until the end of June, to be repaid by the end of the financial year, and access support worth up to 80% of their employees’ wages.