Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of specifically referencing the wholesale sector in the forthcoming guidance for the £1.5 billion business rates relief fund announced for businesses outside of the retail, hospitality and leisure sector on 25 March 2021.

My Department will publish guidance for the Covid-19 Additional Relief Fund to help local authorities set up their local schemes, once the legislation relating to MCC provisions has passed. This will set out the relevant eligibility criteria alongside funding allocations. Business rates are devolved so the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will receive an additional £285 million through the Barnett formula and will be able to determine the parameters of their own schemes.