Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of providing grants to (a) pubs and restaurants with limited outside space that will not be able to re-open as soon as others as a result of covid-19 social distancing measures and (b) other businesses in the hospitality sector.

The Government has announced a package of support for businesses to help with their ongoing business costs in recognition of the disruption caused by Covid-19.

This package of support includes the Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF), the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF) and Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund (LADGF).

Businesses which are not eligible for the grant schemes should be able to benefit from other measures in the Government’s unprecedented package of support for business, including:

• An option to defer VAT payments by up to twelve months;
• The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, now extended to cover all businesses including those which would be able to access commercial credit;
• The Bounce Back Loan scheme, which will ensure that small and micro businesses can quickly access loans of up to £50,000 which are 100 per cent guaranteed by the Government;
• The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, to support businesses with their wage bills;
• The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, to provide support to the self-employed.

Information on this support for businesses can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support

Officials are keeping in close contact with local authorities?to understand how the schemes are rolling out and advising ministers on any additional support?which could be offered to help businesses and support local economies.