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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether businesses not on the rates register but that pay rates through a landlord can access financial support through (a) the Small Business Grant Scheme or (b) other Government financial support schemes during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.

The Small Business Grant Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund have?been designed to support smaller?businesses, as well as those sectors which have been hit hardest by the preventative lockdown measures due to Covid-19.

On 1 May, the Business Secretary announced that up to £617 million is being made available to local authorities as a discretionary fund for businesses outside the scope of the Small Business Grants Fund and Retail Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund. This includes where small businesses occupy space and pay rent and rates through a landlord.

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, we have monitored the performance of the business support schemes available, introducing necessary changes, including the recently announced Bounce Back Loans. Businesses can search for available support via the business support finder tool at: https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder.