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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to protect small and micro businesses from closure as a result of the covid-19 outbreak in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England.

The Government introduced an unprecedented and comprehensive package of business support measures to help as many individuals and businesses as possible during this difficult period.

This support package included measures such as the small business grants, the coronavirus loan guarantee schemes, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), the deferral of VAT and income tax payments, and more. These measures were designed to be accessible to businesses in most sectors and across the UK.

Further measures were also announced by my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer that build on the significant support already available, as well as set out how current support will evolve and adapt. This includes the extension of the CJRS until the end of April 2021, the extension of the coronavirus loan guarantee schemes until 31 March 2021, and the introduction of Pay As You Grow measures, meaning businesses now have the option to repay their Bounce Back Loans over a period of up to ten years. Businesses who also deferred VAT due from 20 March to 30 June 2020 will now have the option to opt-in to a scheme to allow them to pay in smaller instalments up to the end of March 2022, interest free. Businesses and individuals can use our checker tool on GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support to quickly and easily determine whether they are eligible for any further financial support at this time.

Additionally, businesses and individuals are able to access tailored advice through our Freephone Business Support Helpline, online via the Business Support website, or through their local Growth Hubs in England. The Government will also continue to work closely with Local Authorities, businesses, Business Representative Organisations, and the financial services sector to monitor the implementation of current support.

During this period of national restrictions business mandated to close have been able to access grants of up to £4,500 per six-week closure period. The Government has also announced an additional payment for closed businesses of £9,000 to help businesses through to the Spring.

For those businesses not mandated to close but who have had their trade adversely affected by restrictions local authorities have been allocated a further £500m in discretionary funding via the Additional Restrictions Grant, in addition to £1.1bn already allocated in November 2020.