Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions his Department has had with (a) fish and chip and (b) other commercial food providers on pressures faced by SMEs due to (i) taxation, (ii) the price of fish and (iii) the expense of full electrification.

Fish and chip shops are integral to our high streets, communities and culture. Commercial food providers more broadly play a key role in supporting economic growth in every corner of the UK.

I recognise that these businesses are being challenged by rising costs, but we are protecting the smallest businesses by increasing the Employment Allowance and creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street.

The Government remains committed to supporting electrification and addressing the barriers to investment in electric technology. This includes further development of policy options to address the high cost of electricity relative to natural gas, and the implementation of planning reforms to speed up infrastructure development and unblock issues on grid connection delays.