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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the hospitality sector of many of their suppliers going out of business; and what further support is available to prevent this.

We have been in regular contact with representatives from the hospitality sector, including suppliers, to ensure that we support them during and after the Covid-19 crisis. A number of measures are available to support suppliers to the hospitality industry, such as access to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and government backed loans. Suppliers to badly hit sectors such as hospitality may also be able to access the Discretionary Grant Fund which provides business support grants to businesses affected by the Covid-19 crisis at the discretion of Local Authorities.

The Government is providing additional measures to support the hospitality sector itself, including a VAT reduction to 5% and the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme.