Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 11 May 2020 to Question 43140 on Small Businesses: Coronavirus, what his timetable is for the allocation of that additional funding for local authorities to make discretionary payments to businesses excluded from Small Business Grants Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund; and on what basis the amount of funding allocated to each local authority will be calculated.

Local Authorities will be allocated 5% of the value of the existing grant funds in their areas to spend on new discretionary grants.

This will be calculated based on the data return from Local Authorities of Monday 4^th May 2020, which includes a projection of spend totals for the Small Business and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Funds.

In cases where it later becomes clear that this calculation was an underestimate, then the 5% allocation will be adjusted upwards.

Local Authorities can use expected underspends in their existing grant allocation to fund the Discretionary Grant Fund. If underspends do not prove sufficient, BEIS will allocate additional funding to Local Authorities. Local Authorities which need additional funding will receive confirmation of the amount of this funding by the end of May, and will receive this funding in early June.

In total, Local Authorities in England can receive up to an additional £617 million for discretionary grants.