Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with the Confederation for Passenger Transport on the UK coach industry and the effect of the covid-19 pandemic on coach operators.

Ministers and officials have had regular meetings with the Confederation for Passenger Transport in recent weeks to discuss a wide range of matters. The Government has launched an unprecedented set of support measures to ensure that businesses, such as coach operators, have access to the funds they need to pay essential bills at this difficult time. This includes the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which has been extended until the end of October. Officials are engaging with both MHCLG and HMT to understand what the ongoing risks and issues are for the coach sector, and how these could be addressed.