Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak, if he will include in his business rates relief for travel agencies those online agencies that have a physical presence for which they pay business rates.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has published guidance for local authorities on the implementation of the business rates holiday for the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors.

This includes definitions of properties that will benefit from the relief, which includes properties used as travel agents but does not extend relief to properties that are not reasonably accessible to visiting members of the public.

A range of further measures has been made available to support all businesses, such as the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.