Covid-19: Government Support for Business Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Covid-19: Government Support for Business

Ian Mearns Excerpts
Thursday 16th December 2021

(2 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Glen Portrait John Glen
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Yes, we do, and that is why we have given £12 billion of loan guarantees through the covid corporate financing facility for the aviation sector. At the Budget, we put in the airport and ground operations support scheme to help with fixed costs over the next six months. Of course I recognise that the situation is having a significant impact on the sector and the Government will remain engaged to support where we possibly can.

Ian Mearns Portrait Ian Mearns (Gateshead) (Lab)
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A number of different things have happened this week in the Government’s messaging, but one significant thing was when the Prime Minister made his television statement on Sunday and told people to work from home if they can. Reinforcing that message has meant that, this week, an awful lot of people are not in the places that they expected to be, which has resulted in cancellations of bookings for hotels and restaurants. Rightly, reinforcing that message has had an impact that the Treasury needs to react to.

John Glen Portrait John Glen
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I recognise that, which is why I have set out today the engagement that we are having to try to determine exactly what we need to do.