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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to support pubs in Harlow.

The Department regularly meets with representatives from across the hospitality sector to discuss how it can recover and build back from the pandemic. We have provided an unprecedented support package of £352 billion, including grants, loans, business rates relief, VAT cuts and the job retention scheme, which hospitality businesses have access to. We have published a new Hospitality Strategy: Reopening, Recovery, Resilience to ensure England’s pubs, bars, restaurants and other hospitality venues can thrive long-term.

My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer set out further steps to help the economy recover in the Autumn Budget. These included extending the Recovery Loan Scheme until June 2022, providing over £1 billion to ensure businesses can continue to access loans and other finance, and a 50% business rates discount for hospitality businesses for the year 2022-23. Pubs will directly benefit from draught beer and cider cuts by 5%, as well as simplifying alcohol duty and freezing duty rates on beer, cider, wine and spirits.