Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with representatives of publican tenants in tied pubs on the support those tenants require during the covid-19 outbreak; whether he is in touch with the #nopubnorent campaign; and if he will make it his policy to include a representative of The Forum of British Pubs on the Pubs and Restaurant taskforce to develop new covid-19 secure guidelines.

The Department has had discussions with a broad range of stakeholders from across the pubs sector on the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak, including support to pub tenants.

The Pubs and Restaurants Taskforce has already convened to develop guidance that will allow restaurants, bars and cafes to reopen at the earliest point it is considered safe to do so. The taskforce comprised stakeholders from a cross-section of the sector, with representation from trade bodies to small and medium sized operators, unions, as well as the supply chain. We consulted these stakeholders due to their expertise and real-life knowledge and experience of the challenges faced by the industry during the COVID-19 outbreak.