Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits on enabling (a) sheep and (b) goat farmers to access the Dairy Response Fund 2020.

We continue to monitor the impact of the Covid-19 disruption on all sectors and dairy producers and are committed to providing support. Dairy producers are eligible for a range of support, including the Covid-19 Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, deferral of VAT payments, and the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme. The Bounce Back Loan Scheme will ensure that the smallest businesses can access up to £50,000 loans with a Government 100% guarantee on each loan, to give lenders the confidence they need to support the smallest businesses in the country. We will also cover the first 12 months of interest payments and fees charged to the business by the lender.

Businesses in England can also apply for the Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund, which supports small and micro businesses with fixed property costs that are not eligible for other grant schemes, and which have suffered a significant fall in income due to Covid-19.