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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support Chester zoo during the covid-19 outbreak.

A number of schemes have been made available to businesses and charities that should help them during this emergency. Zoos are eligible to apply for the Job Retention Scheme, VAT deferral, Business Rates Relief, the Business Interruption Loan schemes, the option to reclaim the costs of Statutory Sick Pay and grant funding of up to £25,000.

The Zoos Support Fund was launched on 4 May with £14 million being made available to zoos in England. In response to feedback from the zoo industry the fund will now be extended to provide support to the sector of up to £100 million. Further details on the new scheme and eligibility will be released over the coming weeks. We will be engaging with some of the major zoos and aquariums, including Chester Zoo, to assess future support options.

In England, zoos and aquariums have been able to reopen outdoor areas since 15 June, subject to social distancing measures being in place. From 4 July indoor areas such as cafés and exhibits will be able to follow suit. Allowing zoos to fully reopen is a vital step towards enabling them to cover some of the cost of animal care.

We continue to work with BIAZA (British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums) to monitor concerns and gather insights from industry on current issues.