Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason bureaux de change businesses have been excluded from business rates relief.

The Government has provided enhanced support to the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors through business rates relief given the direct and acute impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on those sectors.

Although financial services providers are not eligible for business rates relief, a range of further measures to support all businesses, including bureaux de change, has also been made available. These include the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help firms keep people in employment, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme offering loans of up to £5 million for SMEs through the British Business Bank, and the deferral of VAT payments for this quarter.

The Government will consider any further financial assistance necessary to support businesses during this period.