Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to maintain jobs in parts of the wholesale sector that supply hospitality venues that are closed during (a) national and (b) local covid-19 restrictions.

The Government has provided unprecedented levels of support for workers and businesses to protect, as much as possible, against the current economic emergency. Food and drink wholesalers have been eligible for a number of these support schemes, with the most relevant likely to include:

• The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help keep millions of people in employment;
• £10,000 cash grants for all business properties in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief and Rural Rates Relief;
• The Bounce Back Loan Scheme for small businesses to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000, with no interest payments or fees for the first 12 months.

Food and drink wholesalers have also benefited from the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme which provided over 100 million half price meals during August and helped to protect the livelihoods of the 1.8 million people working in the hospitality sector.