Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he has taken to support fish and chip shops with the cost of food in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

Fish and chip shops, like many hospitality businesses, continue to face significant cost pressures, driven by global uncertainty, volatile energy markets, supply chain disruption and wider inflation, which have contributed to higher food input prices.

The Government recognises the impact this has on businesses and communities, including in Newcastle under Lyme and across Staffordshire and is taking action to help businesses manage these costs. This includes permanently lower business rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties and increasing the employment allowance from £5,000 to £10,500.

We continue to engage with industry through the Hospitality Sector Council to strengthen resilience and productivity across the sector.