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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which local authorities have received or are in the process of receiving funding under the Local Restrictions Support Grant scheme.

The Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG) announced on 9 September provides support to businesses required to close as part of localised restrictions to control Covid-19. On 9 October, government increased the cash grants to businesses eligible under the LRSG to up to £3,000 per month for each hereditament required to close as a result of restrictions. Grants will be issued for each two-week period that a business is closed following the implementation of statutory localised restrictions and business closures.

Business closures in Bolton triggered the LRSG on Wednesday 30 September. We have worked closely with Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council to ensure they can distribute grants to eligible businesses as quickly as possible and will adjust their funding allocation so businesses are able to benefit from the increased grant amount from the beginning of their closure period. We continue to monitor local restrictions across the country and are ready to provide LRSG funding to other local authorities as appropriate.