Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has considered implementing new terms of reference for the Hospitality Sector Council to include a) ensuring early-stage discussion with Government departments and b) fully integrating the growth strategy, tourism strategy, high street strategy and small business strategy.

The Government recognises the hospitality sector’s vital contribution to growth, tourism, high streets and small businesses. To support this, the Hospitality Sector Council (HSC) was established to co-create solutions and deliver the Hospitality Strategy. The Council works closely with other Government departments, including DCMS, and industry representatives to ensure the sector’s needs are well represented and to maintain a coherent vision for driving growth across multiple strategies. Its Terms of Reference already enable early engagement on strategic issues and alignment with wider Government priorities

While the sector is integral to growth, high streets and small businesses – these all depend of course on more than just the hospitality sector. However, I would like to assure you that during the development of these strategies the sector’s needs and concerns were fully represented.