Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will (a) meet representatives of the private coach industry to discuss the financial effect of the covid-19 outbreak on and (b) provide additional financial support to that industry.

The Government recognises the challenging times facing the coach sector as a result of Covid-19, and firms experiencing difficulties are able to draw upon the unprecedented package of cross-economy measures the government has put in place, including Time to Pay flexibilities with tax bills, financial support for employees and tax deferrals. These measures have been designed to ensure that firms of any size receive the help they need to get through this difficult time.

As part of my regular engagement with industry leaders, I recently met with representatives of the coach sector to better understand their situation. I encourage the sector to continue to engage with the Department of Transport on the matters discussed.